Despite some members of the ANC having requested Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to contest the ANC president position, none of her backers are willing to lead her campaign.

According to sources close to Dlamini-Zuma — who is affectionately referred to by her supporters as NDZ — the minister is ‘disappointed’ about the fact that those supporting her have chosen to ‘take the backseat’.

“If you are supporting a candidate, then you should stand for what you believe in — you should tell people why you believe in the candidate you are supporting. However, what is currently happening is that people are not saying anything. This is not helping her campaign at all,” a source told The Witness.

In her previous presidential campaign during the ANC 2017 elective conference, several high-profile party members such as ANC suspended secretary general Ace Magashule and former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo led her campaign.

However, with a few weeks left before the crucial ANC elective conference scheduled for December, not a single high-profile ruling party member has stepped forward to sell her to ANC branches ahead of the gathering.

Dlamini-Zuma’s predicament has not been helped by the fact the ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive committee (PEC), which vigorously campaigned for her during the build-up to the 2017 national elective conference, has this time around resolved to turn its backs on her.

The ANC PEC in KZN has instead opted to endorse former health minister Zweli Mkhize, whose campaign has gained steam in KZN and across other ANC provinces.

According to the source close to Dlamini-Zuma, the ANC provincial leadership’s decision to endorse Mkhize has created fear among her supporters in the province. “It has left ANC members who are backing her in fear that they would be purged should they openly voice their support for her. They fear that they would be seen as defying the ANC provincial leadership if they openly lobby ANC branches to support her,” the source said.

However, ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said party members in the province were free to nominate candidates of their choice. “It’s their democratic right to openly support this or that candidate. Our position as the ANC provincial leadership is that ANC members in KZN should bear in mind that the provincial leadership has taken a position when it comes to conference candidates,” he said.

“So, what we will not allow is a situation where ANC members in the province portray candidates who have been endorsed by the provincial leadership in a negative light, particularly on social media platforms.”

Other candidates who will be contesting against Dlamini-Zuma and Mkhize include Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and the incumbent, Cyril Ramaphosa, who will be seeking a second term as party leader. ANC branches in the province have until November 7 to conclude their nomination processes.