Durban — The majority of the ANC branches and regions in KwaZulu-Natal have chosen Dr Zweli Mkhize to challenge President Cyril Ramaphosa for the position of president at the party’s 55th national conference in December.
Many regions that met on Monday and Tuesday were said to have agreed that the province should bank on Mkhize to prevent Ramaphosa from getting a second term.
Although not all 11 regions in the province were able to conclude and decide on their line-up, two of the biggest regions, Moses Mabhida and eThekwini, confirmed to the Daily News on Wednesday that they would be backing Mkhize for the presidential position.
Mkhize’s chief lobbyist in eThekwini, Simphiwe Blose, said that in the meeting of branch chairpersons and secretaries that was held on Tuesday branches unanimously endorsed him, adding that the region would be pairing Mkhize with Paul Mashatile as deputy president and Phumulo Masualle as secretary-general.
Moses Mabhida’s regional spokesperson, Njabulo Mtolo, confirmed that their branches had endorsed Mkhize but differed with eThekwini for the secretary-general position for which they had chose Mdumiseni Ntuli.
Mtolo said a few branches had shown interest in Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma but the majority had said they wanted Mkhize.
The Daily News understands that Dlamini Zuma was also snubbed by her Harry Gwala region (Ixopo), which also forwarded Mkhize’s name.
The regional deputy secretary of the Harry Gwala region, Qiniso Mnguni, said: “As much as we would have wanted to go with her to show solidarity because she comes from our region, the branches felt that Mkhize would be an ideal candidate and stand a better chance to unseat Ramaphosa.”
Mnguni, who is touted for the provincial secretary position in the coming ANC Youth League conference, said his region had also chosen Phumulo Masualle for the secretary-general position.
“You know we supported comrade Dlamini Zuma and campaigned for her in 2017, but dynamics have since changed and we believe Khabazela (Mkhize’s clan) would help us a lot when he takes over the presidency,” said Mnguni.
Mkhize is said to have also received the nod from Mzala Nxumalo (Zululand), Musa Dladla (Richards Bay) and several other regions.
Musa Dladla regional secretary Madanga Xulu said all he knew was that many branches had spoken against a second term for Ramaphosa.
So far only the Inkosi Bhambatha region has said it wanted a second term for Ramaphosa.
A senior leader and insider in the region, who asked not to be named, said they had not changed their position since 2017 and wanted Ramaphosa to complete the work he had started in 2017.
He added that currently branches were busy nominating, but all indications were that they backed Ramaphosa for a second term.
Nokuhamba Naywo (formerly Far North) and Tolomane Mnyayiza regions (Lower South Coast) said they would wait for branch general meetings, where all members would have their say, rather than taking the views of the branch chairpersons and secretaries.
These regions supported Ramaphosa against Dlamini Zuma at the 2017 conference.
One of Ramaphosa’s backers in the province said people should not read much from the meetings of Monday and Tuesday because the choices made were those of chairpersons and secretaries, and not of branches. The picture might change completely when branches met and formally nominated.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said the rejection of Dlamini Zuma was expected, adding that Mkhize had started his campaign earlier than her after stepping down as minister of health.
Dlamini Zuma was said to have been endorsed by former president Jacob Zuma and had said that if branches wanted her she would accept the nomination.
Mkhize’s chances to the highest party office in Luthuli House were boosted by the unity meeting he held with Lindiwe Sisulu and Dlamini Zuma in Johannesburg on Tuesday and on Wednesday.
According to Mkhize’s lobbyists, the meeting focused on giving him an opportunity to contest the position of president, with Sisulu as deputy president.
On the other hand, it was reported by The Star, sister paper to the Daily News, that Sisulu was said to have been approached by Ramaphosa’s team to be his running mate for deputy president.
There were also reports that Sisulu has received several branch nominations in the Eastern Cape, her home province.
Daily News