Zuma still has ANC KZN on a string

The election of the “Taliban” grouping into power in the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal showed that those close to former President Jacob Zuma will dominate at the party’s election conference in the province.

Aptly named the Taliban, after the ruling party in the Islamic nation of Afghanistan that returned to power after 20 years of US military occupation of the land.

Whether the victorious KZN ANC faction adopted that name because they believe in the Taliban principles to undermine women’s rights remains to be seen.

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We just hope the name was used merely to differentiate them from the other faction.

It’s quite interesting to note that for any leader to succeed in ANC KZN politics, that leader must go and bow to the Dalai Lama of Nkandla, Jacob Zuma.

We have seen many local and national leaders filing up to be with him.

The Taliban led by Siboniso Duma had received Zuma’s blessings and Duma’s rhetorical predisposition favours the former president, as opposed to the incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa.

It is just a public relations exercise that Duma and others had promised not to change the KZN government, or remove premier Sihle Zikalala from power.

Duma will be under tremendous pressure to unseat Zikalala who, they believe, is close to Ramaphosa.

Zikalala was the only one from the old leadership or his slate not to be elected onto the new provincial executive committee (PEC).

The radical economic transformation (RET) elements are not known for patience, particularly that the 2024 national elections are close to two years away.

They can’t wait for that, like they could not wait for Thabo Mbeki to finish his five months at Mahlambandlopfu.

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The entire provincial Cabinet could be removed and – if Zikalala is lucky – he would be forced to appoint members from the new ANC PEC into his executive council, including Duma.

One of the two scenarios is a certainty. It has been proven that once Zuma approves you as a leader, he expects you to fight his battles.

You have to condemn judiciary decisions, past and in future, and the ANC’s step aside rule.

All those who had been to Zuma return speaking his language and wearing his battle garb.

After that famous tea party at Nkandla, EFF leader Julius Malema returned to become Zuma’s mouthpiece, working closely with the RETs and the African Transformation Movement, which is believed to be a RET project.

After Duma, we heard former health minister Zweli Mkhize opposing the step-aside policy following his visit to Nkandla to get Zuma’s blessings.

We won’t be surprised in future to hear Mkhize saying the judiciary was wrong to jail Zuma or that the July 2021 uprising in KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng was justified because Zuma was innocent.

It is common for Zuma worshippers to utter such statements.

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To them, Ramaphosa shouldn’t have suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Western Cape Judge President John Hlope, no matter he had to act on the recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission.

Presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu is likely to lose out because she has not been to worship Zuma at his hilly Tibet in Nkandla.

But the fact that she is not from KZN is the main reason she won’t get approval in a province that makes decision based on tribalism disguised as regional preference.

So, the election of the Taliban to lead the KZN ANC is nothing but the strengthening of Zuma’s hand and reaffirmation of his dominance as the moral leader of rogue elements within the ANC, despite his supposed retirement from active politics.