ANC branches revolt
Image by: SIPHIWE SIBEKO / Reuters
ANC members are refusing to accept directives from the top on whom to nominate for party leadership positions, and provincial party branches are divided over nominating Jacob Zuma or Kgalema Motlanthe, his deputy, for the most powerful jobs in politics.
When the KwaZulu-Natal ANC held its provincial general council meeting yesterday only Zuma and party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe were nominated unopposed despite an expectation that branches would toe the line and nominate luminaries listed on the slates circulated by Zuma lobby groups.
With less than three weeks to go before the party holds its elective conference in Mangaung, a similar trend appears to be unfolding in other provinces - party branches are ignoring provincial pronouncements and sticking with their preferred nominees.
Zuma wants to be re-elected for another term but Motlanthe - with the backing of the ANC Youth League - is believed to be quietly challenging him.
In KwaZulu-Natal a significant number of party branches nominated Motlanthe though he had been removed from the lobbyists' slate and replaced by businessman Cyril Ramaphosa. It emerged at the KwaZulu-Natal provincial general council meeting that about 300 branches in the province nominated Motlanthe as Zuma's deputy. Also nominated for the position was Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale. But early indications were that Ramaphosa would emerge as the province's preferred choice for the deputy presidency.
It also emerged that the province was not united on Premier Zweli Mkhize's nomination as treasurer- general of the party. Some branches nominated Planning Minister Trevor Manuel, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, Deputy Correctional Services Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi or treasurer-general Mathews Phosa.
As Zuma lobbyists were campaigning for national executive committee member Jessie Duarte for the position of deputy secretary-general, some branches expressed support for incumbent Thandi Modise; others nominated Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula and some SA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande.
Branches nominated Baleka Mbete to stay on as national chairman, or Modise or KwaZulu-Natal legislature Speaker Peggy Nkonyeni.
In Gauteng, the provincial executive committee chose Motlanthe as its preferred presidential candidate. Most branches are said to have heeded the provincial pronouncement but one region, Ekurhuleni, nominated Zuma. Its 54 branches gave Zuma the thumbs up; Motlanthe was nominated by 21.
In North West, where the province has endorsed Zuma's second-term bid, divisions are said to be worse.
A provincial executive committee member said yesterday that though it was not known if the majority of branches supported Zuma or Motlanthe, the national executive committee's failure to resolve infighting in the province was the determining factor.
"What is clear is that 90% of the branches want [North West Premier] Thandi Modise to replace Mbethe as national chairman.
"[And] the branches want Mbalula to replace Mantashe as secretary-general.
In Eastern Cape, the provincial executive committee said that it wanted Zuma for another term.
According to an ANC member in the province, the Sarah Bartman region nominated Motlanthe because of the influence of an ANC Youth League executive member.
SHARE YOUR OPINION
If you have an opinion you would like to share on this article, please send us an e-mail to the Times LIVE iLIVE team. In the mean time, click here to view the Times LIVE iLIVE section.Mike123
Posted 205 days agoRSA.MommaCyndi
Mike123
Timbuck10
Talk about screwing up.... LOL!
Patsekg
Posted 205 days agoZENETH
proud-mbongwa
Posted 205 days agoSuiGeneris
Posted 205 days agoAnotherTaxPayer
Black-Moses
Posted 205 days agoskhokho21
Posted 205 days agoRSA.MommaCyndi
That arrogance is why the ANC is going to lose even more of their majority. I don't think you understand just how disillusioned many people are becoming.
ZENETH
Is it? So only The Madam has the capacity to run the DA? I suppose the President was referring to her when he spoke of leaders who dont know whether they are provincial leaders or national leaders. I am certain sometimes Lindiwe Mazibuko feels taken for granted when Zille treads on national parliamentary matters that demands ONLY the response of the Leader of Opposition. Take for instance the responses to Budget speech and SONA, only the DA has got both Zille and Mazibuko. Actually Zille is the only party leader who's not in National parliamentary.
SuiGeneris
Could the reason that they attract so much attention perhaps be that they are so idiotic ?
So devoid of intelligence and direction that it is in fact a step backwards ?
i_stub_born
Mbeki_2
-----------------------------
????????????? When do you think she was appointed? DA has much shorter term of office than ANC (5 years). It was amended from 2 years to 3 yeras. In the ANC they call that contintuity.
v_3
Like the ANC, the DA allows a leader to be elected any number of times (unlike the SA Constitution, which limits the president to two terms). The DA did NOT alter its constitution, there was simply no need. What does it say about the disinformation you have been getting.
Zille was nominated unopposed. Obviously the members are happy with the growth the DA has made and the non-racist direction she is leading the party.
As for the DA getting into power:
* ANC KZN leader warned that Zille is doing what the ANC manifesto said should be done
* SACP boss and ANC general secretary warned the ANC Western Cape congress that ANC and Cosatu members were voting DA in the province
* Cosatu boss Zwelinzima Vavi warned that "if we are not careful we will be calling someone President Zille".
There is a spectre haunting the ANC - it has to do with loss of tenders and prison sentences (without Shaiky get-out-jail card)
BornAgain
Posted 205 days agoPerhaps anoter split will not be such a bad idea after all...
For the DA - it is much easier to manage a small party, but wait until you get 50 percent of electoral endorsement. South Africa is such a complex and unequal society and it will take a great genius to bring all divergent factions together to forge a national identity.
SuiGeneris
They are scraping the bottom of the pot at the moment for leadership, but they cant find anyone.
They have become stagnant and the moment that happens, the reality is that they are moving backwards.
Only a genius will be able to stop the momentum of the current downward spiral, but they do not have such a person within their ranks !
BornAgain
skhokho21
SuiGeneris, you claim the ANC have no leaders but your party had to change the constitution to allow madam to lead beyond her terms, does that show a party with capable leaders.
Robrt010Mugabe99
Posted 205 days agoThuka-Thuka
zindela
Posted 205 days agoskhokho21
clydebv
Posted 205 days agoRSA.MommaCyndi
A larger part is that the DA just don't try hard enough to get votes. The last elections was the first time ever that I heard them even mention their manifesto. Hopefully, they will build on giving voters an idea of what their vision is as opposed to just slagging off the ANC all the time
SuiGeneris
Zuma used a similar phrase not so long ago !
You, just like Zuma, have no frigging idea of what the constitution is about !
skhokho21
Momma, their politics are based on rediculling the ANC without offering solutions, imagine if everything was hunkydorry with the ANC, there will be no DA. I heard madam says she will close the gap between rich & poor but didn`t say how & by when to avoid making her funders angry becoz the only way to do that will be the sharing of the wealth of the country, BEE and other policies that are currently in place, offwhich her funders are not in favour.
RSA.MommaCyndi
Exactly my problem with the DA. They must give us a reason to vote FOR them, not a reason NOT to vote for the ANC. They will only get so far as the 'Desperate Alternative'.
Wiseguy
In fact given the ANC policies around traditional leaders and the living conditions of those living under the tribal leadership......there is a massive GAP on the politcal stage waiting for another party to step in with firm policies that will change the life of those millions of people and their families who reside under the tribal authorities rule !
Yes, one may argue that tribal bonds run deep BUT these people are SERIOUSLY desperate for change......so ANY political party who will offer meaningful changes to these 15.5 million or so voters, WILL make good headway in 2014 ! The land issue is the KEY!
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
skhokho21
i_stub_born
SuiGeneris
Only once ?????
What about all his false promises ?
Considering all, I think it would fair to label him as a compulsive liar.
To an extend his sangoma muti must be working as some people have grown permanent blinkers and are unable to see this fact !
Mgwijikhwebu
Posted 205 days agoShowing Zuma in a positive light is the last thing that the SA media can do. We can clearly see the media has been and is still actively campaigning for Motlanthe, including the opposition parties.
It's freedom of expression, although they conveniently forget (especially on matters concerning Zuma) that reporting must also be balanced.
ZenoJ
There really is nothing to be positive about with this so-called leader.
Tintagel
Posted 205 days ago