Massive provincial divisions point to a messy conference for ANC

The December ANC national conference could be messy if massive divisions among provincial and regional structures are anything to go by.

A prominent Eastern Cape based ANC member said the divisions could spill over to the conference.

“This issue could render both the Polokwane and Nasrec national conferences Sunday school picnics. This time around everyone wants to lead and nobody is backing down,” said the member, who asked to remain anonymous.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa extends R350 SRD grant to March 2023

At least four provinces – Eastern Cape, North West, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal – have three slates each KwaZulu-Natal’s fourth slate got nullified when leading candidate Sandile Zungu, owner of AmaZulu football club, withdrew from the race for the provincial chair. But the other three candidates, all women, were contesting against incumbent Sihle Zikalala: KZN finance MEC Nomsa Dube-Ncube, her transport and community safety counterpart Peggy Nkonyeni, and the controversial former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede.

• In the Eastern Cape, incumbent and premier Oscar Mabuyane and his party treasurer, Babalo Madikizela, have split and the latter is contesting his boss for the provincial chair. Of the three slates in the province, Mabuyane’s featured himself as chair, Mlungisi Mvoko as deputy chair, Lulama Ngcukayitobi as provincial secretary and Helen Sauls-August as deputy secretary.

This group was yet to decide on the treasurer position after Fundile Gade crossed the floor to the Zuma faction, led by provincial legislature speaker Mlibo Qoboshiyane. In his breakaway slate, Madikizela is featured as chair, Xolile Khompela as his deputy chair, Teris Ntuthu as provincial secretary, Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe as deputy secretary and either Andile Lungisa or Phumlani Mkolo. Many were surprised to see Lungisa on this slate because he is a
prominent Zuma follower.

Mabuyane enjoyed support from OR Tambo region, while Madikizela from the same CR camp, is backed mainly by Amathole and Alfred Nzo. OR Tambo had highest membership numbers in the province and second to the KZN’s
eThekwini region in terms of delegation it would bring to the national conference in December.

ALSO READ: Lamola admits SA Constitution provides for land expropriation without compensation

The Qoboshiyane Zuma faction slate has Qoboshiyane at the top, Gade as his deputy, Ayanda Matiti as provincial secretary and Tikana Gxothiwe, who is also on the Madikizela slate, also featured on this list as deputy secretary.
Although Nelson Mandela Bay regional chair Babalwa Lobishe had been enslisted as treasurer in this faction, she was said to support Mabuyane.

• Mpumalanga is another province with three lists or leaders vying for the provincial chair position vacated by deputy president David Mabuza. Likely candidates were acting chair Mandla Ndlovu, premier Refilwe Mtsweni Tsipane and Peter Nyoni. Even here Mabuza loyalists, such as Ndlovu, no longer support him because of his alliance to Mtsweni Tsipane, who he allegedly hand-picked to become premier.

• In North West, political analyst Prof André Duvenhage noticed three factions emerging, with the former premier league regrouping under one of the camps and could be led by Nono Moloyi, who enjoyed stronger grassroots backing. Chair of the interim provincial committee Hlomane Chauke could be elected at the next provincial conference but he could face a stiff challenge from Moloyi.

Supra Mahumapelo, an RET faction member, was supported by branches disgruntled over his side-lining by the party and the implementation of the step-aside rule against him and his ally, former secretary-general Ace Magashule.