Another stab at extra term could frustrate Zuma's rivals

The pro-Zuma group within the ANC wants to align the tenures of the party leader and the country's president, a move that could result in President Jacob Zuma remaining party head for another two years.

Although Zuma has publicly expressed his desire not to stand for a third term as party president, his backers confirmed this week that a proposal to extend his term by two years was on the table.

The proposal is the brainchild of the North West provincial executive committee. The province raised the matter at the ANC's last national conference in Mangaung in 2012. It did not receive sufficient support at the meeting.

Party leaders in Mpumalanga and the ANC Youth League confirmed that the proposal was back on the table. This is the same grouping that is believed to be pushing for AU Commission chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to become president.

Should the proposal win the day, Zuma would remain in control of the party, dealing a blow to those who are calling for his early removal from the Union Buildings.

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It would also make it easy for the president to anoint a successor in the year of the general elections.

Youth league secretary-general Njabulo Nzuza told the Sunday Times that the league had set up a policy and research unit to look at how to realign the term of the ANC leader with that of the head of state.

"It will have to be done. Currently it is congress resolution that the president of the ANC would be president of the country, but there is a two-year difference between 2017 [ANC elective conference] and 2019 [general election]," Nzuza said.

He said the discussion about extending Zuma's party leader tenure was under way in branches and the youth league would have to consider it.

He said the league would hold an extended national executive committee meeting next month, where this issue and the league's stance on ANC succession would be discussed.

"We are having an extended NEC meeting in the first week of February where we will talk about this thing of realignment and about leadership."

A senior leader in Mpumalanga, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said the realignment of terms was being discussed by party structures in the province.

North West provincial secretary Dakota Legoete said his province would support the proposal if it was raised at the policy conference and the national conference in December.

"We would not be indifferent if the proposal is broughtto the table again because it's something that we proposed in the past but it did not fly," said Legoete.

"If this conference was to discuss it, we would not have a problem ... it's something that would have to be decided on by national conference because it's a constitutional amendment," he said.

However, the idea is expected to be rejected by supporters of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and those who are calling for leadership change in the ANC.

The realignment of tenures would mean Zuma and many cabinet ministers loyal to him would remain in their positions comfortably until the next elections, when a new ANC leadership would take over.

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Senior ANC members have been opposed to the proposed change, arguing that party leaders need the two years to adjust before being elected into public office.

While the youth league is looking at a model of how the realignment of terms would work in the ANC, it is also pushing for a generational change in the ANC, demanding that younger members be elected to top positions in the party.

Nzuza said the league would push for young ministers such as Nathi Mthethwa, Malusi Gigaba and Fikile Mbalula to be promoted within the party.

He said the league would not compromise on a "generational change" in the ANC and added that the ruling party could not continue to be led by "the old guard".

Meanwhile, a group of ANC leaders has reportedly met Dlamini-Zuma to try to discourage her from challenging Ramaphosa.

The Sunday Times understands that senior ANC NEC members supportive of Ramaphosa, met with Dlamini-Zuma after the January 8 celebrations to try and persuade her, in the interests of unifying the organisation, to stand for the position of deputy president instead.

Insiders say Dlamini-Zuma turned down the approach.

Dlamini-Zuma could not be reached for comment.