EFF’s overtures to ANC KZN part of the long game to get rid of Ramaphosa

A meeting between the leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday has left many political observers with plenty of questions, but should really come as no surprise.

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu shared pictures of himself, party secretary-general Marshall Dlamini, and the ANC’s Siboniso Duma (provincial chair) and Bheki Mtolo (provincial secretary) during a meeting held in KZN.

The meeting in question comes barely weeks after newly-elected ANC KZN leadership visited former President Jacob Zuma at his Nkandla home.

ALSO READ: ANC KZN arrives in Nkandla to visit Jacob Zuma

While it is not clear what was discussed during the meeting, political analyst Piet Croucamp is of the opinion that one of the issues on the agenda may have been the possibility of the two parties going into a coalition agreement after the much-anticipated 2024 polls.

KZN EFF and ANC could get in bed together

Speaking to The Citizen, Croucamp said KZN was one of the provinces where the ANC has a significant chance of losing the absolute majority and ending up with a relative majority. This would put them in the position of needing a coalition partner if they wish to remain in power.

“The EFF might make a feasible political partner there like in any other part of South Africa,” said Croucamp.

He said there is some resistance, however, at national level for the ANC to work with the EFF, particularly from ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and his grouping.

“In fact, they are actively pursuing relations with other parties to ensure that if they end up with 46%, 45% of the vote, that they can go into coalition with smaller parties.

KZN trying to prove their independence

“However, KZN is deliberately agitating, I think, the ANC at national level and one of the ways of doing it is to visit former president Jacob Zuma in Nkandla and the other way is to meet with the EFF as we have seen this week, to sort of emphasise their independence or independent-mindedness when it comes to the political future of KZN,” Croucamp said.

He said KZN has always been a rogue province, stressing that the liaison between the KZN ANC leadership and EFF is just another indication of the rogue behavior of KZN.

“It does also tell us about what is going on in the ANC and we shouldn’t make the mistake of saying that it is the ANC currently pursuing relations with the EFF with the hope of eventually forming a coalition government with them. It’s KZN doing that and we will see some of these shenanigans again at the leadership conference in December.”

Elaborating on what’s likely to happen at the party’s elective conference later this year, Croucamp said in the event that Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma gets nominated from the floor, the battle for presidency could result in a real fight for Ramaphosa.

“It is obvious by now that KZN will send a delegation that will oppose Ramaphosa … If they will conform to the nomination rules that were laid down recently in terms of behavior, which I think was unfair and deliberately fabricated to support the conditions conducive to and election for Ramaphosa, it will be interesting to see to what extent is KZN willing to challenge those roles, and to what extent they can convince other provinces to cross the floor.”

Also Read: ANC RET group allegedly rejects Dlamini-Zuma

Croucamp added that contrary to what other people think, Ramaphosa might be popular in society but he is not that popular within the ANC, since much of his popularity is manufactured by people who think the ANC desperately needs a renewal to survive an election.

He stressed that many within the party don’t believe renewal of the ANC is a priority.

EFF and ANC’s RET faction have much in common

It is not the first time the EFF leadership visits KZN to meet with prominent figures in the governing party.

Last year, the party led by Julius Malema visited Zuma at his Nkandla homestead.

ALSO READ: EFF mum on discussions after Malema and Zuma’s tea party ends

Another political analyst, Ntsikelelo Breakfast, is of the view that as much as the EFF is a breakaway from the ANC, the red berets tend to gravitate more towards the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction of the ANC.

According to Breakfast, the fact that the EFF and the ANC’s RET faction have a common enemy in Ramaphosa makes an alliance between the two groupings much easier to contemplate.

Breakfast said it is not only in KZN where the EFF seems to be willing to negotiate with the ANC, pointing to Gauteng where there are talks to remove the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Mpho Phalatse.

ALSO READ: Lamola says DA mustn’t ‘cry foul’ as parties seek to oust Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse

“KZN is a stronghold of the ANC’s RET, if it not the base of the faction in question, and even the recent developments around Ramaphosa calling for him to resign, were pioneered in KZN.

“Ramaphosa’s challenge is that he was given a mandate to unify the ANC, and also his belief that state capture did indeed happen, does not sit well with his fellow comrades who have also been asking ‘but what was he doing when wrong things were happening while he was deputy President?’ This is where trust issues also come into play,” he said.

With the ANC’s national elective conference fast approaching, Breakfast said Ramaphosa should be worried as it is not a given that he will be re-elected.

It is also not clear who KZN is supporting to contest the party leader position in December, as there are branches who support Dlamini-Zuma, while others back former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.