Zuma ‘snubs’ KwaZulu-Natal for not handing Dlamini-Zuma overwhelming majority in ANC succession nominations ​

An irate President Jacob Zuma is said to have scolded ANC leaders in KwaZulu-Natal after the province failed to deliver overwhelming support for his preferred successor, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Three senior provincial leaders told the Sunday Times that Zuma was so angry with the outcome of the provincial general council that he decided to give the event a miss.

The KwaZulu-Natal leadership had told delegates that Zuma would close the event on Tuesday, but instead Dlamini-Zuma spoke in his place.

Zuma had expected KwaZulu-Natal to deliver a solid delegation to Nasrec next weekend to close the gap that has been opened between Dlamini-Zuma and her opponent, ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, who has the backing of five provinces.

However, Ramaphosa managed to get 191 nominations in Zuma’s stronghold, with Dlamini-Zuma receiving 454.

Zuma and ANC provincial chairman Sihle Zikalala attended the Terminal Operators Conference and Exhibition at Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on Tuesday, a stone’s throw away from the Olive Convention Centre, where the general council was taking place.

An insider said it was on the sidelines of this event that Zuma rebuked Zikalala.

“He asked the leadership if they were really in charge and said the province has never been this weak,” said the provincial executive committee member.

Zikalala denied that Zuma expressed unhappiness about the outcome of the nominations when they met.

“Yes, we spoke about the... [general council]. To the contrary, he [Zuma] was very impressed with the outcome and with how we have conducted it. He thanked us and congratulated us for holding a successful [general council]. So what they told you is a lie,” said Zikalala.

However, another senior ANC member in the province insisted that Zuma was not happy and believed “not enough political work” had been done by the province in the lead up to branch general meetings, at which nominations were drawn up.