ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s campaign appeared to wilt in Limpopo last week after she snubbed a prayer service in Vhembe district and opted for a gala dinner in Mopani region.
This follows the recent collapse of the Vhembe regional conference after factions loyal to Dlamini Zuma and those supporting her potential presidential challenger Cyril Ramaphosa clashed because they couldn't agree on credentials.
The Vhembe prayer service against the killing of women and children was supposed to be led by Dlamini Zuma. It was instead led by Dotty Tlabyawe, national executive committee (NEC) member deployed in Limpopo.
It was held on Wednesday at the Njhakanjhaka Community Hall in Hlanganani, which is under the new municipality (LIM345) - soon to be named after the late Collins Chabane.
Tlabyawe did not say why Dlamini Zuma had not attended.
Addressing hundreds of ANC supporters at a rally in Polokwane on Friday, Dlamini Zuma accepted the endorsements from both leagues, thanking them for showing confidence in her.
“I feel very honoured and very humbled, and of course the great part of my life has been of service to people of South Africa and the ANC, so there is no way I can refuse the responsibility given by the ANC.
“But of course you have to work towards it,” she said, alluding to the ANC’s women and youth leagues to help her gain the party’s presidency.
On Wednesday, Dlamini Zuma received a boost when one of the local traditional leaders gave her the thumbs-up for the presidential position. At the gala dinner at the Karibu Lodge near Tzaneen, Vatsonga Machangani Royal Unity chairperson Hosi Phylia N’wamintwa endorsed her, asserting: “As Vatsonga Machangani royal leaders we are behind Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to be the next ANC president. I think you will make a good female president.”
Earlier last week, the regional conference in Vhembe, which revealed the region’s preferred presidential candidate, collapsed amid ructions regarding delegate credentials. According to ANC provincial secretary Nocks Seabi, the regional conference consists of 90% branch delegates and 10% from the regional executive committee (REC) members.
However, Ramaphosa’s faction wanted REC members not to vote, while Dlamini Zuma’s faction wanted all 26 REC members to vote.
The disagreements forced the provincial executive committee members (PEC ) to collapse the conference.
“The constitution of the ANC states that the conference is made up of 10% of REC members and 90% from branch delegates, and this caused the PEC to collapse the conference as there were disagreements between the REC members who don’t see things eye to eye,” said Seabi.