INLSA
Although the ANC has put a lid on the succession debate before its Mangaung elective congress later this year, indications are that in KwaZulu-Natal, campaigners for Jacob Zuma’s re-election have gone “underground” and are quietly lobbying branches.
There are eight months to go before Zuma learns if he will retain the ANC presidency and, by all accounts, his supporters in the province with the largest ANC membership are hard at work behind the scenes. All ANC members are working towards the December conference, which will set the scene for the party’s decisions and policies for the next five years.
The Mercury understands that although there is no formal co-ordinating body openly lobbying for Zuma to serve a second term as ANC president, there are individuals working to ensure that he retains the position. The ANC has said the leadership debate will only be opened in October, but members and branches are already discussing the issue behind the scenes.
ANC insiders told The Mercury that in an attempt to send a “united delegation” to the conference, the ANC in KZN had decided that the provincial chairman’s position, held by Premier Zweli Mkhize, should not be contested at the provincial conference, which is scheduled for April 10-13 in Newcastle.
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA, which has 49 000 members in KZN, is openly backing Zuma.
Cosatu KZN president Basil Cele said Zuma would be “largely” supported by its members. He said many were going “underground” in campaigning for Zuma.
He added he was concerned that Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe had not clarified his position on the leadership issue. “If he contests against Zuma, he won’t be supported by Cosatu. We think he will be ready to be president in another five years,” said Cele.
In 2007, an embattled Zuma had the firm support of Cosatu nationally.
Last week, ANC KZN secretary Sihle Zikalala said the province would contribute 35 percent of the delegates at Mangaung.
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This does not mean we will go there to dictate things… What is uppermost in our minds is to achieve maximum unity… we do not want factionalism,” he said.
One of the movers behind Zuma’s 2007 election campaign was KZN businessman Don Mkhwanazi, who spearheaded the Friends of Jacob Zuma organisation. However, he said that the group, which drummed up support and finance for Zuma when he was facing legal and political challenges, no longer existed because it had accomplished its mission.
