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KZN ANC accepts resignation of Premier Sihle Zikalala with ‘pain and difficulty’

Zikalala has resigned as KwaZulu-Natal Premier after failing to secure another term to helm the party in the province, at the ANC provincial conference in July. 
KZN ANC accepts resignation of Premier Sihle Zikalala with ‘pain and difficulty’ Former KZN ANC chairperson Sihle Zikalala (left) congratulates new chairperson Siboniso Duma after the announcement of the results in Durban on 24 July 2022. (Photo: Phumlani Thabethe)
Victoria O’Regan
By Victoria O’Regan
5 Aug 2022
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The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has on Friday “welcomed” KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala’s resignation, and put forth three names, including finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube, to be considered to replace Zikalala as premier. 

Zikalala informed the provincial executive committee (PEC) of his resignation on Thursday, 4 August, which the ANC in the province has accepted. 

Zikalala’s resignation comes after his defeat at the ANC KwaZulu-Natal elective conference in July, where his rival – former ANC provincial youth league leader, from former president Jacob Zuma’s “Taliban” slate — Siboniso Duma, received 930 of the 1,595 votes. 

Read in Daily Maverick: A blow to Ramaphosa as Zuma’s ‘Taliban’ slate sweep KZN elections

Lesser-known Duma and his “Taliban” slate of candidates swept the floor at the recent KZN provincial ANC elective conference — a huge blow to Zikalala’s “Ankole” slate aligned to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Duma’s win saw Zikalala having to relinquish the chairperson position.

Sihle Zikalala with Siboniso Duma Former KZN ANC chairperson Sihle Zikalala (left) congratulates new chairperson Siboniso Duma after the announcement of the results in Durban on 24 July 2022. (Photo: Phumlani Thabethe)





After accepting Zikalala’s resignation, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal was instructed to recommend three names to the party’s national committee, who will undergo an interview process to be considered to replace Zikalala. 

“The names of comrades Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Amanda Bani and Mbali Frazer were submitted and they are going for interviews tomorrow,” the PEC said on Friday. 

“The ANC accepted Comrade Zikalala’s resignation with pain and difficulty as he was still doing a great job in the province since he took over,” it added. 

On Friday, the ANC in KZN thanked Zikalala for “his dedication to serve the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” adding that his tenure as premier has come with “a lot of good in the province, including a number of provincial government departments receiving unqualified audit outcomes for the first time.” 

Read in Daily Maverick: “KZN political fallout continues while scandals dog flood relief efforts” and “A stunning reversal after KZN floods — the ANC now guilty until proven innocent”

A new Premier will be sworn in once the interviews are concluded and once Zikalala’s resignation is confirmed by the provincial legislature. DM



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Comments (4)

Michael Clark Aug 6, 2022, 05:26 PM

I going to miss this guy. He is classic ANC, didnt give a damn about the poor "piple", watched dodgy tenders fly and best of all ensured that his water tanks were filled by a municipal truck while his waterless neighbours watched bewildered and confused. Then he lied saying his wife needed the water to cook for "our piple". Just beautiful. But we can be sure the new hog at the trough will not disappoint.

Dennis Bailey Aug 6, 2022, 09:06 AM

No surprises here. The ANC in KZN has just nailed down the coffin lid. They will not be missed.

John Counihan Aug 5, 2022, 07:36 PM

Horrific that a member of the "Taliban"/RET faction will now be premier of KZN. They cannot be unaware that Zuma is a treasonous thief, but I suppose that is precisely why they support him - they'd like him back at the helm because of his criminal ways, so they can have their turn at the feeding trough!

Ian Coates Coates Aug 5, 2022, 04:27 PM

So - here we go again, on the ANC Merry-go-round, of Political shuffling, serving to deliver to us exhausted tax-payers and ordinary citizens a continuous game of "musical Chairs," where senior political positions are traded and exchanged, purged and shuffled, with almost boring frequency. The notion of a professionally trained and qualified administration seems to be totally absent from eth ANC Lexicon. Watch this space for another shuffle, just around the corner, as 2024 looms - and decends upon us.