Lack of consultation seen as snub, says ANC KZN branch

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is on a collision course with its mother body again.

This became apparent on Wednesday at a media briefing during which the KZN ANC complained it had not been consulted over a weekend decision by the powerful national working committee to install a resolution and dispute committee, led by Cyril Ramaphosa-backed Naledi Pandor, in the province.

ANC national executive committee member Pandor, who is also science and technology minister, is the convenor of the dispute resolution committee in the province.

"Nothing has been communicated to us [about Pandor's committee]," said provincial ANC secretary Super Zuma.

Pressed for his reaction to the apparent information snub, Zuma said: "I speak to the national office all the time. I am the secretary [in KZN] and they communicate all the issues to me. Even yesterday, I spoke to the national office," he said.

National ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa and ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe were not immediately available to clarify the issue.

Zuma confirmed his office had received 30 formal disputes following branch general meetings and that six of those had been referred to him by head office. He poured cold water on the so-called ANC rebels' assertions that "more than 80 disputes
have been launched, and counting".

With the KZN ANC and the rebels set for another courtroom showdown on Monday, Zuma confirmed that talks between the party's factions had deadlocked.

The applicants will be back in the Pietermaritzburg High Court next week to challenge an appeal by the PEC against the court ruling that found the party's provincial conference, held in 2015, was unlawful and invalid. Zuma said that should they lose, they will take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal.