ANC in KZN tells regions to hold elective conferences by year-end

In a new twist, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has directed all its 11 regions to hold elective conferences by the end of the year.

The announcement came as a surprise to many as it appeared that the appointment of regional task teams last month had nullified the possibility of regional elective conferences with the party instead instructing them to go and win back all the municipalities that had been lost in 2021.

National and provincial executive committee members were all over the province this weekend, attending regional general council meetings to present a discussion document for the party’s National General Council (NGC) in December.  During the meetings, the party officials also presented regions with elective conference road maps and directed the regional task teams to ensure that all the regions have new leadership before the NGC which is scheduled for 8 to 12 December in Nasrec, Johannesburg. This means the regions will need to hold conferences by November. 

Although the party has 11 regions in the province, special focus is expected to be on key regions which include eThekwini, KwaDukuza, Msunduzi and Richards Bay.

In 2021 the ANC lost the Umhlathuze Local Municipality in Richards Bay and failed to win with an outright majority in eThekwini, Msunduzi and KwaDukuza, however, with the assistance of smaller parties, the ANC managed to cling to power.

In eThekwini, which is expected to be a battleground between Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) and the ANC in next year’s local government elections, the ANC is gearing up for a conference in November.

This was confirmed by the regional task team spokesperson Thinta Cibane, after the party held its general council on Saturday. Cibane said the branches have been directed to ensure that they are all ready by the end of September, using the guidelines presented to them on Saturday.

“We have given branches the deadline of September to ensure the new membership recruitment process is completed so that the conference will take place smoothly in November."

With the current eThekwini chairperson, Zandile Gumede, seemingly out of the race because of a court case and the party's step-aside rule, the contest is rumoured to be between municipality Speaker Thabani Nyawose and Nkosenhle Madlala, the current deputy secretary of the region.

Fierce lobbying and horse trading is expected in eThekwini in preparation for the conference.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za