Durban — University of KwaZulu-Natal politics and public policy expert Dr Fikile Vilakazi has warned the new provincial ANC leadership against purging supporters of outgoing premier Sihle Zikalala if it wants to retain the province.
He was speaking to Daily News on Sunday amid widespread speculation and voice notes circulating about the axing of MECs including legislature speaker Nontembeko Boyce, who supported Zikalala.
Vilakazi said the new leadership should rise above public views and not be swayed by public sentiments. Should the new leadership decide to purge Zikalala's supporters through a reshuffle it should forget about retaining the province in the 2024 general elections.
Vilakazi warned the party leadership not to be driven by “stomach” politics when taking decisions, adding that people that vote new leadership into power in today's politics do so to access state resources and not because they believe a new leadership is capable of taking the organisation forward.
“I think the new leadership should tread very carefully when making a reshuffle to ensure that unity is not compromised. If what we hear on the public platform is about sweeping changes and if that is anything to go by, the ANC should consider itself on the opposition benches after the 2024 elections.
“It is clear people are in politics for resources so if you remove them from positions where they earn salaries surely they will be angry because they are not employable after politics. And that will cause further divisions which would cost the party dearly in the elections," said Vilakazi.
Another political analyst, Bheki Mngomezulu sounded confident about Siboniso Duma's chairpersonship.
He said Duma displayed strong leadership qualities when he managed to ensure that President Cyril Ramaphosa closed the ANC conference two weeks ago, despite an acrimonious welcome from delegates who heckled him before he spoke.
Mngomezulu said Zikalala's departure won't change anything.
“Even if he stayed, divisions in the party were something that was not going away soon, because they are solidly entrenched in the party nationally.”
Discussions on Zikalala's future started soon after his humiliating defeat at the conference where he lost the chairperson's position to Duma.
He also suffered another blow when he failed to get elected to the 30-member provincial executive committee.
For a number of years, it had been a norm that for one to ascend to the chairperson position he or she must have served in the top five provincial hierarchy.
It was the first time since the Dr Sbu Ndebele and Dr Zweli Mkhize era that the new chairperson did not come from the top five.
After news of Zikalala's resignation broke on Friday social media platforms were abuzz about an imminent reshuffle.
People were suggesting a major cabinet shake-up with almost all MECs who served under Zikalala being axed or relocated to new positions.
Rumours are that soon after Nomusa Dube-Ncube – as all indications point to her being announced as premier – is sworn in, she would announce her new cabinet, which would see the provincial treasurer and former Newcastle mayor Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba replacing Nomgugu Simelane as Health MEC. Mahlaba's chances are boosted by the fact that in the new provincial executive committee and probably in the ANC benches in the legislature, there is no medical doctor.
According to sources within the party, the axe is also hovering over the heads of under-performing mayors.
Daily News