ANC’s election of tainted leaders not a fault but a feature, say experts

Amid rumours the ANC could order all members affected by the step-aside rule not to contest party elections and for those already elected to withdraw, experts have highlighted a growing culture to choose tainted individuals to turn party conferences into platforms for merely electing factional slates.

Political analyst Goodenough Mashego said it was not a surprise former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede emerged as a leader, because that’s what her slate dictated and her election was part of a rebellion against step-aside policy.

“It speaks to how the ANC conferences are now conducted. ANC members go to conferences merely to elect the top five or top six instead of going there to deliberate policies. They don’t go there to be part of commission nor to be part of the resolutions.”

Gumede’s election did not follow the unity pattern where members were elected from both factions. She beat her opponent, Thabani Nyawose, Ethekwini metro speaker, by 210 to 181 votes. However, her election was controversial because she was on step-aside on the basis of corruption charges she faces emanating from a R300 million tender corruption matter.

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Mashego said the ANC conferences were no longer about deliberations and discussions but more on the electoral processes.

“So the election of Gumede is part of the ongoing rebellion by those who go to conferences not to deliberate issues but to elect leaders.”

Mashego and another analyst Levy Ndou, from the Tshwane University of Technology, said Gumede’s election would set a dangerous precedent for the ANC.

“If Zandile Gumede is allowed to stay, Ace Magashule, Supra Mahumapelo and others on step-aside will make the same argument,” Mashego said.

Ndou said the nomination of tainted members had become a trend in the ANC. He said this damaged the ANC’s reputation, but they did not care.

To them, the ANC image was not important but their own self-interests were a priority. Gumede entered the race although she was suspended, to prove a point and that she put her interests first and not those of the ANC.