The intervention that the ANC made in KwaZulu-Natal after the province’s dismal showing in the 2024 national and provincial elections has all but failed.
This is according to the ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who on Wednesday said he was disappointed with the performance of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial task team led by veteran Jeff Radebe as convenor and Mike Mabuyakhulu as co-ordinator. He said instead of doing the job they were appointed to do they are busy squabbling over who gets to lead the province when it sits for its conference early next year.
“We thought we are bringing a Ferrari but I think now that is a [Toyota] Tazz and we need to get out of that particular situation. We have not been doing well,” said Mbalula. “KZN we disbanded a structure because we are facing existential crisis there, a tsunami. What do people do when we have given them a task? They are busy fighting over who must lead not the task we gave them.”
Radebe and Mabuyakhulu were installed by the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) who dissolved the provincial executive committee (PEC) after the party in the province dropped from over 50% support to a mere 17%. One of the biggest casualties of the dissolution, which was dubbed “reconfiguration” was the provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo who was demoted to being just a member of the PTT.
The Sunday Times earlier this year reported that there had been tensions between Radebe and Mabuyakhulu which had affected the functioning of the PTT forcing Mbalula to intervene. ANC provincial leaders said at the time that the power struggle between the duo had reached crisis point.
It’s a big disappointment for the ANC and we are going to deal with it. We deal with it even in the report. We say exactly what I am saying now — that we’ve got to get organised
— Fikile Mbalula, ANC secretary-general
Speaking at the ANC’s national general council, Mbalula said the ANC had decided yet again to “reinforce” the already “reinforced” structure.
“KZN is a big disappointment in terms of our intervention. And I can assure that there’s going to be changes in KZN. That structure is too big and we are going to make it leaner and we are going to bring new people in KZN. So that you must know for sure it’s coming,” he said.
Mbalula said these changes would be made around February as they were not happy about the r performance in the province especially the squabbling within the PTT.
“We’ll put them aside, we are going to fetch people who are going to build the ANC in KZN root and branch, not people who are concerned about who must lead and all of that and just leave and abandon the task. So it’s a big disappointment for the ANC and we are going to deal with it. We deal with it even in the report. We say exactly what I am saying now: that we’ve got to get organised.”
The relationship between the two is said to have hit rock bottom during talks on the formation of regional task teams. An insider said Radebe lashed out at Mabuyakhulu at one meeting for having compiled a list of names of who would head these task teams.
However, another provincial leader said tension between the two was to be expected. They blamed the ANC’s national leaders for having constituted a team whose members did not have the same vision for the province.
According to the insider, part of the problem was the appointment of the provincial working committee. They said it was composed of eThekwini leaders loyal to Radebe.
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