Johannesburg - There seems to be no putting the genie back in the bottle as the ANC succession race hots up, with various factions openly supporting candidates to take over from President Jacob Zuma, against the wishes of the ruling party.
Zuma is expected to hand over the reins when he steps down during the party’s elective conference in December.
AU Commission chairwoman Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, and National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete have shown interest.
Here’s an idiot’s guide to what happens during election years when factions, or camps, lobby for their candidates:
* Factionalism:
A faction is a grouping within a political organisation, in this case the ANC, which agrees on a slate for contested crucial positions such as the president, chairperson, secretary-general, and treasurer, among others.
Ultimately, the faction that emerges victorious at the elective conference will be the final arbiters on government policies, have access to state resources, and decides on the path Africa’s largest and most industrialised economy takes.
* Slate:
A slate then becomes a list of the candidates who get selected by the camp to fill the positions, should the faction become victors.
* Gatekeeping:
This occurs when leaders resort to unscrupulous measures such as selectively submitting membership forms of those who’ve joined the organisation with a view to influence party processes. When this happens, it renders the new recruits “members of members”, rather than the ANC’s. And with the membership data in their arsenal, these leaders would know members in good standing who are eligible to participate in the party’s branch activities, including voting on matters. The members of members, therefore, are doomed to give blind loyalty and support to the nefarious activities of their handlers.
* Vote buying:
Enter the money. Its influence during an election year is far-reaching and determines who gets elected into the new leadership. It is often said that black plastic bags stuffed with money are used to buy votes and leverage in regions and provinces viewed as blockages to the dominant faction’s aspirations.
* Smear campaign:
In the midst of the all-out war for survival, the factions also throw mud at each other in the form of smear campaigns such as damning media leaks on candidates. Prior to Zuma being elected as party leader in Polokwane in 2007, his rape trial, in which he was acquitted, for instance, was viewed by many as a dirty tricks campaign to stop him from ascending to the throne.