Durban - ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa has warned KwaZulu-Natal mayoral candidates that they serve at the pleasure of the African National Congress and can be recalled at any time the organisation sees fit.
He was speaking at the provincial ANC youth league's gala dinner at Suncoast Casino on Thursday night, where local business people were encouraged to invest in the youth league.
Addressing several mayoral candidates who were present, Kodwa said it was important to remember that they were currently in the positions they were in because of the ruling party.
“A word of caution to mayoral candidates. Do not see yourself as the brightest or the best. If you do this, you will start viewing yourself as more important than the people who made you mayor,” he said.
“You did not apply for this position or send CVs. The African National Congress has deployed you. This means the ANC can reconsider its decision. You will not receive notice either.”
Kodwa said that if the ANC deployed candidates one day and recalled them the next - saying they made a mistake in the choice - the only reaction should be one of gratitude for being deployed for 24 hours.
He said it was important for candidates not to create factions within the organisation because of their positions in government. “Don't cause communities to fight because of you. If you do this, people will not trust you. You are a servant of the people who has been sent by the African National Congress.”
Kodwa said he noted several prominent black Durban business leaders were not present at the function. “If they aren't here, who are they supporting?”
“There is no emerging black business person who has made it without the ANC,” he said.
Kodwa said business must support the ANC youth league today or else there would be no ANC tomorrow.
“You must take yourself seriously as black business. You can't build a tar road and then, six months later, when it gets potholes, ask why the new tender has gone to a big corporate,” he said.
He said business should not support individuals in the youth league thinking they could co-opt the organisation.
“Support the ANC youth league, not individuals.”
He told business leaders present not to worry about what they read in the media about the organisation falling apart over list candidates. The ANC is a living organism, he said, and was influenced by internal and external forces.
“There is always hope. We have no control over external forces, they are like a passing cold front. After the cold front comes the warmth.”
He said that the system used to review list candidates needs to be reviewed, saying it was hurting the ruling party.
“We are dealing with situations [relating to unhappiness with candidates] throughout the country.”
He also told business leaders not to expect quick results when investing in the ANC. Don't invest today and expect a tender tomorrow, he said.
“When you invest in the African National Congress, do it with your heart. Do it because you love the ANC.”
Kodwa said that business should not be dismayed when the party took time to make decisions.
“The decisions of the ANC are never wrong. It takes time to make decisions. They can't be done in the blink of an eye. They require wisdom. That is why the ANC has survived as long as it has,” he said.
African News Agency