Zweli Mkhize for president, says ANC in KZN as it snubs Ramaphosa and Dlamini Zuma

27 Sep 2022

The ANZ in KwaZulu-Natal has shown its hand for the party’s December elective conference – Zweli Mkhize for ANC president and Paul Mashatile for deputy.

Following deep reflection on problems the ruling party has grappled with since the 2017 elective conference, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says it has opted to endorse former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize for the party’s top job.

At a media briefing on Tuesday, the province announced a mixed bag of names which it would endorse at the December elective conference, saying it was open to persuasion in electing leaders who are not only “best for the ANC but also the country”.

Mkhize’s endorsement is despite the Digital Vibes scandal hanging over his head, in which his former personal assistant benefited from a R150-million contract with the Health Department, as did his family.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Exposed: Digital Vibes bought a Land Cruiser bakkie for Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s son”

Mkhize is currently challenging the Special Investigating Unit to reveal the information it has about his role in the scandal.

Quizzed about this, provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo said Mkhize remained an eligible candidate.

“There are guidelines that tell us who are the people that branches of the ANC can nominate and people they can’t nominate. Dr Zweli Mkhize is among the members of the ANC that qualifies, he is not charged by an institution of law, nor is he being investigated. I think the Hawks have made it clear that he’s not under investigation,” said Mtolo.

Even before the Digital Vibes scandal there is strong evidence that Mkhize was involved in other transactions. Scorpio’s Pieter-Louis Myburgh exposed how money from a PIC deal ended up paying for Mkhize’s townhouse.

It remains unclear whether Mkhize will be allowed to contest for the leadership in December. If he is criminally charged before the conference, he may not be eligible.

The province, which is the largest voting bloc, said it decided to endorse Mkhize for president following an overwhelming view from the party’s 11 branches in the province.

For the deputy president position, it has officially endorsed ANC treasurer-general and acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile.

For the national chairperson position, Mtolo said branches were in support of Stanley Mathabatha, who has been Limpopo chairperson for a while. This is the position former president Jacob Zuma said on Monday night he would be available to serve in, should he be nominated by branches.

Read more in Daily Maverick: “Everybody wants to rule the world: Zweli Mkhize’s ‘the more, the merrier’ belies the future ANC reality”

The province has also endorsed former Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle for the position of secretary-general. He has served in various capacities in the province.

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“They also believe that comrade Nomvula Mokonyane, also known as Mama Action, can best serve the ANC in the capacity as deputy secretary-general.”

The province has not endorsed anyone for the job of treasurer-general, a position seen as a lifeline in the running of the party. It has indicated that a young, energetic and female leader should be nominated

Mtolo said that although they had adopted to endorse these leaders, the province was open to persuasion by other provinces. They would approach the formal talks with an open mind, taking into consideration what is best for the ANC and the country.

“These positions are not cast in stone, we are not fixated, neither are we stubborn – we are open to persuasion by various provinces of the ANC, because we fully understand that this is a national conference.”

If Mkhize is allowed to contest, he is expected to go up against party president Cyril Ramaphosa, who is eyeing a second term, and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who so far has been endorsed by her own branch and former president Zuma.

An ‘unfair’ question

Mtolo would not go into details of the reasons for not endorsing Ramaphosa, suggesting that it was unfair of reporters to pose questions about support of an individual when the party has many members.

Asked if the Phala Phala theft was one of the reasons, Mtolo declined to comment, describing the matter as a national issue which he would not address on a public platform.

Commenting on Dlamini Zuma’s endorsement by her own branch, the provincial leadership said there was nothing untoward about it and they would not stop branches with opposing views from nominating their own candidates:

“There is an overwhelming view of the province; it doesn’t mean there can’t be one or two branches that are of a different view. There can be 10% of the branches that want another person, you can’t stop them.

“But the one thing we have been taught in the ANC, is that you suppress your individual view once a collective view is made.” DM

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An ‘unfair’ question