ANC to elect new KZN leadership
MORE than 1 200 ANC members, representing 686 branches, will descend on the University of Zululand in northern KwaZulu-Natal this weekend to elect the party’s new provincial leadership, ending months of uncertainty in the governing party.
The province is currently run by an interim provincial leadership appointed by the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) earlier this year following a bruising court ruling which effectively disbanded the leadership structure elected in 2015.
The ANC in the province has been deeply divided in recent months, with members associating with either of the two dominant factions, but party leaders believe the conference will mark an end to all the divisions.
“The attainment of unity cannot be postponed anymore. There is a firm convergence of views within structures and among all ANC leaders in KZN on the imperative to work for the unity of the ANC,” said Sihle Zikalala, the coordinator of the provincial task team.The ANC was confident that all issues raised by disgruntled members in the run-up to the conference had been attended to.
Zikalala said all branches that had raised issues were “given a fair chance” to discuss their concerns.
National leaders of the ANC travelled to the party’s Moses Mabhida region yesterday to engage with some of the disgruntled party members who had called for the conference to be postponed.
Zikalala also revealed that the interim leadership structures in the Harry Gwala, Moses Mabhida and Lower South Coast regions would participate in the conference but would not have voting powers.
Mike Mabuyakhulu, the convener of the provincial task team, echoed Zikalala’s statements, saying “we have done everything possible to listen to those unhappy members”.
NEC member Nocawe Mafu said the NEC was also satisfied with the work done in preparation for the conference. She said all party members belonged to branches, and because members’ concerns were expected to be raised within structures, all branches had been given an opportunity to raise concerns.
Very little contestation for positions is expected at the conference as ANC members, apparently fed up with disunity, have been hard at work discussing the election of an inclusive leadership structure.
It is expected that Zikalala will be elected unopposed as chairperson and that Mabuyakhulu will likely emerge as deputy chairperson. Neither leader could not be drawn to comment on this.
“I heard somebody talking about a unity slate. The conference is a conference of branches; they might discuss among themselves what they want. The branches will exercise their rights at the conference,” Mafu said.
Zikalala said party leaders did not discuss “slates” but rather dealt with matters of principle.
Mabuyakhulu said ANC principles and values did not allow for any member to tout for positions ahead of election processes.
He said that while there had been divergent views before the ANC national conference in December, all of that was in the past.
“If there is anybody who thinks we are here to pursue the agenda of factions, no, we are not here to do that. Myself and the co-ordinator (Zikalala) are for all the members of the ANC in the province,” said Mabuyakhulu.