The crowd had to shout his name repeatedly before Sihle Zikalala took to the podium to greet former president Jacob Zuma's supporters outside the High Court in Durban last week.
In his short speech, Zikalala called on Zuma's backers not to insult ANC leaders while showing their support for the embattled former president.
Zikalala, the ANC provincial task team co-ordinator, must have been aware of the developments the previous night, when ANC leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa and Police Minister Bheki Cele, were insulted by angry Zuma supporters who had held a night vigil at Durban's Albert Park.
He must also have heard, coming from some in the crowd, songs calling for war should Zuma be sentenced to prison.
You could have been forgiven for mistaking the gathering last Thursday night for an opposition rally.
Speaker after speaker lashed Ramaphosa, accusing him of being behind renewed efforts by the NPA to call Zuma to account for alleged corruption.Leaked voice recordings of the event have exposed a serious campaign to undermine Ramaphosa in the name of supporting Zuma.
"Phansi ngoCyril Ramaphosa phansi! [Down with Cyril Ramaphosa, down!]" shouted a speaker during the vigil.
"That NEC of the ANC is rotten. Those are not ANC leaders. They are agents of [Johann Rupert] and Oppenheimer ... Thuma mina Cyril Ramaphosa."
The speaker - who has not been identified - then called for a national general council where Ramaphosa would be removed as ANC president.
Others spoke openly about a plan to punish Ramaphosa by voting for the Black First Land First movement on the national ballot and the ANC in the province.
There was already widespread speculation in the province that a plan to revolt against Ramaphosa had been hatched by Zuma supporters.
Zikalala, a staunch Zuma backer, has since distanced the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal from such plans as they have serious implications for the party in his province.
But whether it is by choice or not, Zikalala has become the face of the pro-Zuma campaign. Any action by Zuma's backers in ANC T-shirts, positive or negative, is done in his name.
It was commendable for him to call for cool heads outside the court. But he will have to do more than that to show he is not part of the hooliganism that is threatening to turn KwaZulu-Natal into a war zone again.
Zuma and his backers have taken advantage of the volatile situation caused by the battle to control resources in the province and its 11 regions.
Zikalala and his group are fighting to be re-elected when the province finally holds its elective conference following the disbandment earlier this year.
Zuma and his backers are banking on Zikalala to retain control of the province and then mobilise support for Zuma outside court.
The aim is to intimidate the authorities with the threat of possible violence - and get them to reconsider charging him.
The mobilisation on ethnic grounds and the war talk may work for Zuma, but could be catastrophic for Zikalala and his grouping.This may lead to the province becoming more isolated in ANC politics.
The isolation has started, with senior ANC bigwigs choosing to stay away from court.
There were no Cosatu or SACP leaders pledging their love for the former president.
Those who did appear alongside Zuma on the courthouse steps included two fired ministers known for their proximity to corruption and lies (Des van Rooyen and Faith Muthambi), one confessed fraudster (Carl Niehaus), an opposition party leader whose existence is fuelled by anarchy (Andile Mngxitama) and a fired matric-less SABC chief operating officer (Hlaudi Motsoeneng).
Those with intimate knowledge of the strategy by Zuma loyalists say the plan involves lobbying other provinces, such as North West and the Free State, to turn against Ramaphosa and call for his early exit at the national general council.
However, even if Zikalala wins the provincial conference, it will be an uphill battle for his grouping to win over other provinces.
Zuma's ally in North West, Supra Mahumapelo, is facing a revolt that may see him being dethroned as premier.
Revelations about his relationships with the Gupta family and the political realignment in the province have turned a significant number of ANC leaders against him. The province was unable to bus supporters to the court in Durban.
With Ace Magashule having left the Free State for a top job at Luthuli House, that province's support for the anti-Ramaphosa project is not guaranteed. Although Magashule still has influence in the Free State, it remains to be seen if his allies will be able to keep control after the province elects new leaders.
The Zuma faction in the Eastern Cape is also in disarray after the national executive committee turned down pleas to disband the Oscar Mabuyane-led provincial executive committee.
A political solution that is being sought by the ANC NEC for the Eastern Cape is unlikely to result in the Zuma faction gaining control of the province.
This leaves the Zumarites with fewer allies in influential positions outside KwaZulu-Natal. Which means the plan to remove Ramaphosa would not succeed at a national general council.
For Zikalala and his group to regain the status of kingmakers in the ANC - when KwaZulu-Natal was the heartbeat of party politics in South Africa - the anarchy and bloodshed cannot continue.
Those who campaign for Zuma along ethnic lines must be exposed and isolated.
The warmongers among the Zuma crowd must be identified and charged.
The gun-wielding gangs that surround politicians in the province must be disarmed and dismantled.
The direct consequence of the factional arm-wrestling for power and resources is the party's inability to effectively run government.
Even more importantly, the people of KwaZulu-Natal cannot afford to go back to the days of political violence, which claimed thousands of lives, in defence of one person...