JZ’s allies push for Nkosazana

President Jacob Zuma and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma File picture: Dumisani Sibeko

President Jacob Zuma and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma File picture: Dumisani Sibeko

Published Nov 13, 2016

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Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma’s allies are defying Luthuli House’s warnings against punting names of their preferred presidential candidates ahead of the governing party’s elective conference as they openly push for Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to take over.

This was abundantly clear on Saturday in Durban as the eThekwini region (the party’s biggest with 110 branches) and the ANC Youth League championed her under the pretext of preferring a woman president to succeed Zuma.

Leading the pack was the eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, and ANC Youth League (ANCYL) president Collen Maine, who both reiterated their support for a woman president.

In the presence of Dlamini Zuma, Gumede said the country was ready to be led by a woman.

“It is time now for the country to have a woman president. There is no better time than this. Women and young people will lead,” she said.

The events in Durban happened as former Limpopo Premier Cassel Mathale, who was unceremoniously removed by Zuma as ANC provincial chair, also added his support for Dlamini Zuma.

Mathale on Saturday told The Sunday Independent that, as a member of the ANC, he reserved a right to support anybody. “I don’t need to explain myself to anybody. Comrade Nkosazana can contest any position within the ANC that includes the president’s position. There’s no rule that prevents her to contest if nominated by the branches of the ANC.”

While telling the delegates that they have been warned against speaking publicly about next year’s elective conference, Maine said: “We will support anyone who is a woman as long she is a member in good standing.”

This is not the first time Maine has declared the ANCYL’s support for a woman president. He again attacked former public protector Thuli Madonsela, labelling her a “popcorn”.

Despite coming under heavy fire from provincial party leaders, ANC provincial youth league secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo maintained that the young lions in KZN would support a woman president.

In a thinly-veiled attack on the ANC veterans, Maine said they would not listen to people who wanted to lead from the “outside”.

Mathale’s decision to join forces with the Zuma faction has supported the notion that there were no permanent enemies and friends in politics.

Mathale, who was a close ally of the then ANCYL president Julius Malema, has been dubbed the “Chief Campaigner” of Zuma’s Limpopo faction, which is backing the AU chairperson to succeed Zuma.

This has raised eyebrows in political circles as Mathale was removed by Zuma as the Limpopo premier and provincial ANC chairperson.

Said Mathale: “People are entitled to have their own opinions. I was never promised any ministerial position and equally I’m entitled to raise and have my own views. As a member of the ANC, I’m also entitled to contest whatever position if nominated by branches.”

The ANC through its national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa criticised Mathale for going public about his support for Dlamini Zuma.

“Mathale is not a structure of the ANC, therefore we won’t entertain this. The ANC has started to discuss its principles in building up to 2017 elective conference by using its document, Through the Eye of the Needle, which will guide our members on how to conduct themselves when electing leadership.”

Kodwa said the ANC is aware of the bogus list circulated by “faceless people” who claim to be members of the ANC. He emphasised the succession debate had not yet been given a green light.

Kodwa said the ANC had embarked on political education across the country and revealed that party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has been deployed to conduct political education in the North West..

Sunday Independent

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