ANC KZN branches differ with PEC views
WHILE the ANC’S leadership in Kwazulu-natal has announced its preferred top brass to be elected at the party’s upcoming national conference, some branches have deviated from these proposals and questioned the stance taken by their leaders.
ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo had announced the KZN slate would comprise former health minister Zweli Mkhize as president and treasurer-general Paul Mashatile as his deputy.
At the time, Mtolo claimed the nominations were the views of the majority of ANC branches in the province. However, the announcement was made before the deadline for provincial branches to hold branch general meetings to nominate their candidates had been reached.
The Kwaximba branch in Cato Ridge is objecting to the nominations. The branch held its branch general meeting last week where it endorsed President Cyril Ramaphosa for a second term and called for former KZN secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli, who hails from the same branch, to be secretary-general.
Syabonga Khanyile, the ANC Youth League’s branch secretary, said their meeting last week was nullified because they finished after 10pm, which was against the rules.
However, he said another meeting had been set for today, and they had agreed on who they would endorse.
“The branch has agreed that (former ANC KZN provincial secretary) Mdumseni (Ntuli) is a preferred candidate for the secretary-general position because of his experience. We have also decided to nominate President Ramaphosa for a second term. This is simply based on the fact that we view him as the only capable leader at the moment. Also, his branch in Limpopo endorsed Ntuli for the position of (secretary-general). So we believe it makes political sense that we also support Comrade Ramaphosa,” he said.
Khanyile also questioned the motive of the party’s provincial executive committee in announcing the top six before the branches had convened their branch general meetings.
He said that at the time of Mtolo’s announcement only 30% of the branches had concluded their meetings. “The ANC process is to allow all the branches to meet and endorse their decisions. This time around it was the other way around. But we are not in any way fighting with the (provincial executive committee). We are simply exercising our rights and performing our responsibilities as branches,” he said.
Another ANC branch, Jetto Ndlovu in Inchanga, in Durban’s outer west, nominated Ntuli to be secretary-general. Minenhle Mbeje, the branch secretary, confirmed the branch had met a week ago, where Ntuli was endorsed.
“This is what we want as a branch, and we have all agreed to rally behind him. We respect the PEC, but that is what we have decided on,” he said.
Ntuli has seemingly launched his campaign throughout the country. This week, he delivered memorial lectures in Empangeni and the Eastern Cape.
ANC KZN spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said the PEC had endorsed the top six leaders based on the majority of the branches. He admitted that there would be branches that may have different views, but maintained the majority had been nominated in terms of PEC’S decision.