The ANC is not a monarchy, says KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo

The belief that the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal agonised over failing to have one leader elected in the party's national top six at Nasrec is untrue, as no position is created for KZN.

This is according to provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo.

On Tuesday Mtolo addressed a matter that has arisen at many ANC media briefings: that the province suffered a blow when none of its candidates contesting any of the six positions clinched a win.

“There is a belief that of the nine provinces, there is one province that is deserving of a top six position, which is KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.

“There is this belief that KwaZulu-Natal must be guaranteed a top six position, maybe because it's been there since the 1950s, if I remember correctly. It has created an impression that it's a monarchy thing that we must be there — and also the Eastern Cape.”

At least two leaders from the province made it to the ballot for significant positions at the last conference, namely Nkosana Dlamini-Zuma for president and Senzo Mchunu for secretary-general, albeit on different slates.

Both lost, but Mtolo emphasised KZN is represented in the national executive committee (NEC).

“The 'defeat' at Nasrec wholly exists in the minds of those who don’t understand the ANC. There is no defeat. If you looked at the representation of KwaZulu-Natal in the NEC, you will appreciate it is highly represented.”

Mtolo said when branches meet and nominate leaders for the national conference in December, they will not be nominating potential leaders because they are from KZN, but because they are capable of leading.

“When this province led a delegation to elect Nelson Mandela in 1991 and Thabo Mbeki in 1997, they did not elect them because they are the from Eastern Cape. They elected them because they were the qualifying persons to be president.

“When [former] president Jacob Zuma was elected, it was not because he is from KwaZulu-Natal. It is a myth that has been created.”

Any person who speaks about a blow against KZN at the last national conference does not understand how democracy in the ANC works, said Mtolo.

“This is a huge organisation. You can’t expect 4,000 delegates to agree on one name. They must have different names and then persuade each other and engage each other.

“If they do not agree, there is a mechanism in the ANC that these names must be put in a ballot. Once those names are put in a ballot, the one who gets the votes becomes the leader for all of us.”

Mtolo said people should not view the ANC top six through provincial representations.

“There are nine provinces and six of these positions. It is not about a province. This is not a federation of provinces. It is a national conference of branches of the ANC.”

He said there could even be a scenario in future where one province nominates two candidates for the position of president, adding that should never be frowned upon as it is a democratic process.

The ANC goes to its 55th national conference in December. It is unclear who will contest against President Cyril Ramaphosa at this point. 

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