DURBAN - DR ZWELI Mkhize has been praised for the role he played which led to a peaceful Moses Mabhida regional conference.
The former health minister who is also from the region, was said to have played a major role in forging unity among factions ahead of the conference which was held at the weekend.
Mkhize’s close associate who declined to be named said he played a role in ensuring the smooth and peaceful transition of power from the task team to the new leadership that emerged at the conference.
The associate said Mkhize called both factions and asked them to unite under one slate so that there would be no contest but a few elements rebelled against the proposal at the last minute and contested.
“Both factions had agreed to his proposal that there must be unity where there will be no winners and losers but at the last minute some people went against that and availed themselves for positions but lost,” said the associate.
Mkhize’s role was confirmed by the new regional secretary, Samora Ndlovu, who spoke to the Daily News on Tuesday. Ndlovu, who was expected to resign as Richmond mayor to work as regional secretary on a full-time basis, said Mkhize had wanted an uncontested conference which was agreed upon by both slates but later others backtracked. He refused to be drawn in deeper into the discussion whether the region would back his presidential campaign, saying the time would come for that.
However, a senior regional leader said the camp that won the conference supported Mkhize and would push him to the party’s throne in 2022 at the national elective conference. The leader said while Mkhize was pushing for unity in the second biggest region in the province, his ultimate goal was to ensure the region was united to push his presidential campaign.
“We don’t want to talk about the national conference now but things look brighter for Mkhize. It is now known that he is the only one that would contest president Cyril Ramaphosa. He has the backing of the two regions that have elected new leadership and we are waiting for the outcome of the Musa Dladla regional conference (Richards Bay) next year,” said one of Mkhize’s backers.
During the conference, current Msunduzi mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla defeated Mzi Zuma for the chairperson position. The slate was said to be a mix of Mkhize’s backers and the Radical Economic Transformation group which was said to also be supporting him. The group was known for their support of former president Jacob Zuma and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma during the 2017 national conference.
An outspoken RET leader who is also eThekwini councillor, Ntando Khuzwayo, said they had never had a problem with Mkhize but they had not taken an official position, adding that they wanted to allow regions to elect first then start talks later about their preferences for national leadership. Another of Mkhize’s backers dismissed a new slate which put him on the secretary-general position. The backer said there was no way that Mkhize would serve another term in the top five without being president.
The slate which the Daily News has seen wants suspended party secretary-general Ace Magashule as president, Lindiwe Sisulu as his deputy. Former North West chairperson Supra Mahumapelo is touted as national chairperson while Nomvula Mokonyane and Faith Muthambi were for deputy secretary-general and treasurer positions respectively. Mkhize was also said to have support from the newly elected General Gizenga Mpanza (KwaDukuza) regional leadership which invited him to deliver the keynote speech at their conference on Sunday.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said while the ANC had made it its culture that a deputy president would always ascend to the presidency, if that was ignored there was no doubt that there would be branches that would want him to be elected as president. Mngomezulu said branches would also argue the step-aside rule for their candidates who were linked to corruption was on the basis of the country’s Constitution that everyone was innocent until proven guilty.
ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela refused to comment.
Daily News