ANC rushes to clam up Mchunu

19 January 2017 - 09:20 By NATHI OLIFANT
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ANC factionalism has resulted in senior members shooting off their mouths, a political analyst has said.

Thabani Khumalo was speaking following the war of words that has erupted between ousted KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairman and premier Senzo Mchunu and the party's provincial leadership.

At the centre of the controversy is Mchunu's comments on the party's contentious succession battle.

He was quoted by Eye Witness News yesterday as saying he did not see why Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa should not be next in line to lead the ANC.

Mchunu was labelled by the ANC as "attention seeking" for speaking about the succession saga.

"The fact of the matter is that ANC structures appear to have collapsed and that has forced members to speak outside because they are not heard inside because there is a huge element of mistrust," said Khumalo.

Mchunu, however, said he was not willing to nominate a candidate in the controversial succession battle.

"I don't talk names and I did not talk names to the people who interviewed me," he said.

Mchunu, who was defeated by current ANC provincial chairman Sihle Zikalala in November 2015, said that his response to a question about a woman president in the succession battle was that the ANC had clear principles to guide the party on succession.

KwaZulu-Natal ANC spokesman Mdumiseni Ntuli lambasted Mchunu by questioning who he was speaking on behalf of.

"If you are a member of the organisation you just don't speak anyhow. Who was he speaking as? He's not a veteran.

"Which branch mandated him to speak on ANC issues?" asked Ntuli.

Mchunu's name has appeared several times on Ramaphosa's slate as ANC deputy secretary-general.

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