President Jacob Zuma on Thursday urged delegates attending the ANC's Northern Cape elective conference to stop focusing on slates and elect mature leaders who will help the party grow.

Addressing 800 delegates in Upington, Zuma slammed the practice of lobbying for positions ahead of conferences, saying it could result in the election of "wrong persons who cannot fulfil the ANC's programme of action".

He told the delegates that they needed to be careful about the character of leader they elected to office.

"In other words, [the] conference has to look at comrades, their merits, their everything, not just the names. Not because I do toyi-toyi better than everybody else and then I must lead, because you are not going to do toyi-toyi every day. You need a comrade who will help the ANC to grow, to be stronger ... The ANC is an organisation of comrades, not of friends," he said.

Zuma's remarks could be viewed as a stab at incumbent chairman John Block, who has set his sights on re-election for a third term despite facing fraud and corruption charges involving hundreds of millions of rands.

Block was last night challenged by Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources Godfrey Oliphant. But 9pm indications were that Oliphant would not be able to garner enough support to topple the controversial ANC provisional chairman, who is to go on trial in the Kimberley High Court in February.

Block's entire leadership slate is expected to be retained.

Block's detractors accuse him of sidelining those who disagree with him politically.

Zuma, who received a warm welcome, told delegates that differences within the ANC needed to be resolved in a comradely fashion and that the party was not the domain of individuals.

"We acknowledge that at times there are ups and downs, but they need to be confronted by comrades, comradely. We need to participate to help solve the problem not help increase the problem.

"At times individual comrades become very active in undermining the organisation, at times not just individuals [but] groupings of comrades, almost trying to suggest that the organisation belongs to them ... We need to work hard to maintain the harmony of the ANC," he said.

But Zuma might find the province difficult to win over as he seeks support for another term at the ruling party's elective conference in Mangaung.

ANC leaders in Northern Cape are said to have aligned themselves with the ABZ [Anyone But Zuma] fever sweeping some sections of the party. They are said to be ready to back either Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, should he stand in Mangaung, or throw in their lot with Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale, who looks likely to challenge Zuma.

The conference started amid tight security. Elections for new leaders took place late on Thursday night.

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BornintheRSA

Posted 377 days ago

True words from Zuma. If the delegates are to be careful about the character of the leader they elect to office, then Mr Zuma would be consigned to history with no further prospects as president of anything. Perhaps Zuma does not see himself as one of questionable character who can only sing and dance.

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SecretVoice

Posted 377 days ago

Pity he does not practice what he preach. Every time he opens his mouth he puts his foot therein.

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Mangqeshane

Posted 377 days ago

Now I am really convinced, uyamzonda uZuma

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MichaelG

Posted 376 days ago

JZ must understand one thing, 'his time is up'

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v_3

Posted 376 days ago

If he is calling for "mature leaders who will help the party grow" then it must mean he does not intend to stand for re-election as he has excluded himself.

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buddi

Posted 377 days ago

While Rome is burning, the president is electioneering.

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Black-Moses

Posted 377 days ago

Zuma told delegates that they needed to be careful about the character of leader they elected to office.

If those words of ''wisdom'' are anything to go by, surely himself [Zuma ] is not supposed to be in the office he occupies. Talk is cheap Sir. In a nutshell that is hogwash emanating from the chief of buffoons.

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m1si2zi3nzo4

Posted 377 days ago

What does Zuma expect? Win against him by playing his own game? People can choose any way that works for them if all the avenues are closed. He controls the public purse, and uses it whenever he wishes, including patronage. People are bound to listen to him when he is on a public platform, because he is like a child playing with hammer. They are watchful of every move he makes, in fear of the continuous damage he inflicts on them and their next generation.

The others do not have access to the vast human and financial resources at his disposal.

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mbongwa_mugabe

Posted 377 days ago

He told the delegates that they needed to be careful about the character of leader they elected to office.

...
South african did here the 783 charges president is speaking careful of electing criminals to the high office.

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