Duma guns for ANC provincial chair

All eyes are on the African National Congress (ANC) provincial elective conference to be held from July 15 to 17 in eThekwini.

Gunning for the provincial chairperson is South Coast’s Siboniso Armstrong Duma.

According to sources, aside from Duma, the position of the provincial chair is expected to be contested by the current chairperson, Sihle Zikalala, Treasury MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube, former ANC Newcastle mayor, Ntuthuko Mahlaba, Amazulu Football Club boss Sandile Zungu, and former director-general of KwaZulu-Natal provincial government Nhlanhla Ngidi.

“Duma was nominated for provincial chairperson by the John Mchunu branch in eThekwini,” said the branch chairperson Malusi Mchunu.

Mchunu said Duma was the ANC deputy chairperson of the George Mbhele branch on the Lower South Coast from 2004 till 2006. He added that Duma is currently a member of the ANC provincial executive committee.

Mchunu said they nominated Duma because he has the power to unite branches through his wisdom.

“When we see him, we do not see him as a superstar. We see him as an ANC member who grew in the party, a member who will drive the programmes of the ANC. An individual who will remind us that this is how we should behave, how the ANC expects us to conduct ourselves and this is what the people are expecting from the leaders of the ANC,” said Mchunu.

He added that it was not a single branch that nominated Duma but a collective of branches which is led by him. “We are in the process of lobbying branches but most importantly delegates from those branches.”

“The region of Harry Gwala said they see Siboniso Duma from the Lower South Coast as provincial chairperson. They added that as a region, they also have a candidate for the position of provincial secretary, Bheki Mtolo,” said Mchunu.

Mtolo is the mayor of the Greater Kokstad Local Municipality.

Mchunu said as branches they are trying to shy away from putting names forward for other office bearers.

“As branches, we try to shy away from nominating other office bearers because we want to allow other comrades to nominate the people they see as relevant. Branches must have different views and they must be willing to be convinced but the priority is to bring the ANC of the people to the people. As we continue to engage, we will then be able to populate the positions of deputy chair, treasury, and so forth,” said Mchunu.

Meanwhile, the ANC national elective conference will be held in December.

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