The ANC’s top officials are set to have a difficult task in selling a coalition with the DA as many provincial leaders say they remain unconvinced.
Several provinces held special extended provincial executive committee meetings this week to deliberate on the names to advance to Luthuli House for premier candidates.
Despite coalitions not having formed part of the agenda, TimesLIVE Premium understands in several of these PEC meetings the issue was discussed.
In the Eastern Cape, three regional leaders who wished to remain anonymous said most PEC members were against a coalition with the DA.
The Eastern Cape is where President Cyril Ramaphosa enjoys his strongest support with the province having led the charge to have him elected in both Nasrec conferences.
Provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said while there was no formal discussion on coalitions during its extended PEC meeting, the province was confident the national executive committee (NEC) would discharge its responsibility.
The NEC is expected to hold a crucial meeting on Thursday that will define whether the ANC goes into a coalition with the DA.
Whatever discussions that are there we must always know that we will always keep in mind that our strategic objective is to take the working class out of the current conditions in which it is
— Lulama Ngcukayitobi, ANC EC secretary
“The NEC must have considerations about the position of the entire working class as part of the primary motive forces as it discusses matters of the national government,” Ngukayitobi said.
He added that the provincial leadership discussion was not specific on who the ANC should get into bed with, but the province “talked about the essence of the national democratic revolution (NDR)”.
“The constitution of a new government must not be a hallmark of the ANC abandoning its primary objective of taking into consideration the position of the motive forces and the working-class situation in SA ...
“The NDR guides all of us on what to do during a period of this particular item and it is in the NDR and strategy and tactics that our key pillar of strength is the bias towards the working class and the working people in this country.
“Whatever discussions that are there, we must always know that we will always keep in mind that our strategic objective is to take the working class out of the current conditions in which it is. So, we will not have discussed individually because the NEC is working on that matter and we trust it,” he said.
Ngcukayitobi said the Eastern Cape was calling for regional general councils to take stock of the performance of the ANC.
After 30 years of uninterrupted ANC rule, the party was forced below 40% support at the May 29 elections , largely due to the MK Party of former president Jacob Zuma surging to a shock victory in KwaZulu-Natal and ending the national election on 15% support. In the Eastern Cape, the party retained its majority but its support declined by 5%.
ANC alliance partner Cosatu has indicated it would reject an ANC grand coalition with the DA.
The trade union federation described John Steenhuisen's party as the antithesis of what it stands for and an enemy of workers.
Cosatu general secretary Solly Phetoe told TimesLIVE Premium despite not agreeing on a number of issues the historical reason it is in alliance with the ANC is the ability to influence policies that advance the agenda of workers.
ANC Gauteng provincial secretary TK Nciza said the province was waiting for a report on coalitions from the officials.
“We want to hear it from our leaders who have they engaged. What are those engagements and what are they based on? Is it about the interests of our people, is it about the motive forces, is it about the country? Does it stabilise the province and does it stabilise the country? Does it keep the ANC intact because it's important to us?”
Nciza said the province will listen to the arguments advanced by the officials.
“We assume and we believe that they understand why the ANC was formed, why we have an ANC and what are its duties. So we can't assume that they don't have the best interests of both the country and the ANC,” Nciza said.
ANC Limpopo spokesperson Machaka Mathole said the PEC would not be happy with a coalition that removes Ramaphosa as president.
The MK Party has demanded Ramaphosa's removal.
In KwaZulu-Natal, where the ANC suffered its biggest electoral loss, the provincial executive is yet to meet.
Provincial executive committee members told TimesLIVE Premium they anticipate a meeting to chart the way forward after the NEC meets.
“We need guidance from the national executive, there is no reason to meet. We can't be discussing anything including the premier candidate. We lost. There is nothing to discuss,” one member said.
However, there is also frustration among PEC members that the provincial leadership will go to the NEC without consultation with the province.
In a letter penned by party veteran Siphiwe Nyanda, he argued that the ANC must not entertain a coalition with the Zuma-led MK Party.
He said the ANC must also dissuade some of its members from entertaining such “an outrageous idea”.
“Jacob Zuma nearly succeeded in destroying the ANC from inside. He was thwarted in 2017 at the ANC national conference at Nasrec. He has been plotting since then against the leadership elected in 2017 ...
“Now that Zuma has inflicted so much damage on the ANC from the outside there is a rush to bring him back by his accomplices who are still embedded in the leadership of the ANC, so that he can finish his job of destroying the once-proud liberation movement of the oppressed people of South Africa. These attempts must be firmly rejected,” Nyanda said.
“The counterrevolution led by Zuma must be kept away. We cannot invite it back into our midst. These counter-revolutionaries and pseudo-revolutionaries have defiled our good name and driven away many of our supporters,” he said.
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