The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has finally made its pronouncement on their preferred leaders to contest the upcoming party’s elective conference in December.
The party in the province endorsed former Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize as its preferred presidential candidate and Paul Mashatile as deputy president.
Meanwhile, NEC member Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has not been included in the province’s top six candidates’ list as it was anticipated.
“In KZN here you forget easily, when we came from 2017, those of us who supported NDZ [Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma ] and those who supported President Ramaphosa, realigned in 2018 and we went to DUT we elected a Provincial Executive Committee, the same people realigned in this conference in Olive Centre that is ANC because once you do not realign you are known that for years we have been agreeing you are no longer ANC, you are institutionalised faction.”
Addressing the media in Durban during the announcement of the party’s preferred Top 6 nominations ahead of the national elective conference, KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary Bheki Mtolo maintained that members of the party are loyal to the organisation. Mtolo announced that the branches in the province are backing former Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize as the presidential candidate and Paul Mashatile as deputy.
“The branches of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal are proposing that in the position of the president they support Dr Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize, in the position of deputy president they support comrade Paul Mashatile, in the position of national chairperson they think comrade Stanley Mathabatha who has been the chairperson of Limpopo province for for the longest time can do better now at a national level. They also believe that comrade Phumulo Masuale from the province of the Eastern Cape who has served in various capacities can now occupy that position. They also believe that comrade Nomvula Mokonyane, mama action, can be best served In her capacity as the deputy general secretary, on the position of treasurer general.”
#sabcnews #sabckzn ANC KZN preferred Top 6,Pres Zweli Mkhize,
Dep presi Paul Mashatile, Secr Gen Phumulo Masuale, Dep Sec General: Nomvula Mokonyane,
Treasurer- General: To be confirmed a young leader is a preference.— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) September 27, 2022
Mkhize resigned from his post last year, amid allegations that he allegedly benefited from the Digital Vibe’s R150-million tender. However, irrespective of these allegations, Mtolo says the party in the province is adamant that Mkhize met all nomination requirements.
“If you read those guidelines correctly, Dr Zweli Mkhize is amongst the members of the ANC and leaders of the ANC that qualifies to be nominated by the branches of the ANC because of two reasons, currently comrade Dr Zweli Mkhize is not charged by any institution of law, neither is being investigated.”
ANC KZN backs Dr Zweli Mkhize’s presidential bid:
Commenting on a statement, in which former president Jacob Zuma, pledges his support for NEC member Dlamini-Zuma for party president, Mtolo says they still acknowledge her as a capable leader. This is despite not including her in the province’s preferred candidates Top 6 list.
Mtolo explains, “[Former] President Zuma is not saying Nkosazana is capable to be president, he is saying she is capable to be a leader of the ANC. He is a leader, he has been a leader for years. We agree with President Zuma that Nkosazana is still capable to be a leader of the ANC, she is a leader, she sits in the NWC, I can assure you that she is going to be part of that National Working Committee. But where we are making a mistake you are now editing President Zuma’s letter, you are saying he said she must be President, he has never said that. Read the letter, don’t miss interpret the letter, and then he says after qualifying that, he says not supported or endorsement of any person. Which is true, he has not endorsed any person.”
Former President #JacobZuma has endorsed the name of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to take over the reigns of the ANC. In a midnight statement he says “I have not moved an inch from the 2017 position” #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/VD0Y9RzYJ5
— #LordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) September 27, 2022
During the briefing, the party also condemned former president Kgalema Motlanthe following his recent utterances, in which he called party leaders to order for pronouncing their preferred candidates before it is permitted.
Motlanthe made these utterances in his position as ANC’s electoral committee chairperson.
The party in the province has questioned why Motlanthe was silent when other members announced their preferred candidate as far back as May.
