Vote-buying claims but no evidence: ANC KZN

SUPPORTERS of camps aligned to either former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede or current eThekwini speaker Thabani Nyawose have accused one another of vote-buying after a bruising leadership battle in the regional conference for what is considered the jewel of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal.

Gumede emerged from the leadership battle victorious in a region crucial for both its political and economic status, not just in the province but also nationally. She was elected chairperson with 210 votes to Nyawose’s 181 on Sunday.

Her slate was also elected, including deputy chairperson Tembo Ntuli, provincial secretary Musa Nciki, deputy secretary Nkosenhle Madlala, and Zoe Shabalala as treasurer.

Sources say that vote-buying started in earnest ahead of the conference and the sums on offer rose until voting took place on Sunday evening. Nyawose did not want to comment on the allegations and referred all enquiries to the ANC at provincial or national level.

Njabulo Mchunu, spokesperson for Gumede’s supporters, said delegates who were planning to vote for Gumede had complained about being asked to take a picture of the ballot paper as evidence of who they had voted for.

A special announcement was made ahead of Sunday’s voting, asking delegates to not take cellphones into the voting area.

“We heard about money changing hands inside a toilet at the International Convention Centre. We received complaints about vote-buying at the conference, but no further information was provided,” Mchunu said.

ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said both Gumede and Nyawose’s supporters had complained of vote-buying taking place but no evidence had been provided.

“The provincial leadership cannot investigate at the moment. Without evidence we can’t determine if this is a case of sour grapes, or one party being vindictive, or if these are legitimate claims.”

Ntombela called on anyone with evidence of vote-buying to provide the proof so that the provincial ANC could investigate.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said he was not surprised that there was an element of patronage involved at the conference.

“Since #CR17 and Nasrec the ANC did nothing to regulate the buying of votes. The issue of #CR17 was vote-buying and the same practice continues,” Mathekga said.

The #CR17 campaign raised funds and installed Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC president at the party’s elective conference in Nasrec. The Constitutional Court ruled in Ramaphosa’s favour last year after Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane found that Ramaphosa had misled Parliament and also failed to declare the campaign sponsorship to Parliament as personal benefits.

Mathekga said the stakes were higher now and so was the competition to win key regions, including eThekwini.

“We have seen, since the ANC suffered losses in the local government elections, that they are desperate to hold onto bargaining power.

“Gauteng will be least influential at the national elective conference later this year, while eThekwini will have bargaining power.

“The provinces will go to that conference at different power levels because of the different economic power bases … In eThekwini, the ANC held onto power and that will translate into bargaining power at the provincial conference and the elective conference,” Mathekga said.