Former President Jacob Zuma’s supporters have claimed an early victory ahead of the crucial ANC KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference.
This is after the majority of the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) members endorsed the position of the former president’s supporters that the ruling party’s step-aside resolution needs to be reviewed.
The Zuma supporters, who also wants the ANC national leadership to allow the party’s structures to back Zuma in his legal battles, claim that the step-aside policy has been used to target certain party members.
In a recent media briefing following the PEC’s regular meeting, ANC provincial secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli, confirmed that the step-aside matter was discussed during the PEC meeting.
“The concern was not the rule, but how it had been implemented,” he said.
The pro-Zuma ANC Musa Dladla regional leadership, which has been championing the campaign to have the step-aside rule scrapped, said it has received support from the majority of ANC regions in the province.
ANC Musa Dladla regional chairperson, Musa Cebekhulu, said:
The resolutions, which were adopted by the ANC 2017 national conference, stipulates that party members facing criminal charges should step down from both their ANC and government positions.
ANC leaders who were forced to step down in line with the resolution include ANC secretary general, Ace Magashule, and former eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede.
ANC provincial deputy chairperson, Mike Mabuyakhulu — who hails from the Musa Dladla region, voluntarily stepped down after being charged of corruption. Asked whether the Musa Dladla region would be calling for Mabuyakhulu’s reinstatement at the upcoming provincial conference scheduled for next month, Cebekhulu said the region was in a difficult position as Mabuyakhulu voluntarily stepped down.
He said:
Should the ANC provincial leadership resolve that the step-aside resolution should be reviewed, the PEC would then lobby other provinces for the policy to be scrapped at the upcoming ruling party national policy conference scheduled to take place next month.