Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal government’s musical chairs saga looks set for yet another twist on Tuesday with newly appointed Agriculture MEC Themba Mthembu expected to decline the post.
Mthembu - a fierce critic of provincial party chairman Sihle Zikalala - would throw provincial governance and the tripartite alliance into further turmoil with this stance in the already tumultuous build-up to the August 3 local government elections.
The cracks in the party and between alliance members were evident on Monday with more violent community protests in Durban over the nomination of candidates for the local government elections. Political analysts have warned of more upheaval.
Premier Willies Mchunu on Monday announced his first cabinet reshuffle after less than a month in office.
The battle for power began in November when former provincial secretary Zikalala toppled then-premier Senzo Mchunu from the ANC KZN chairman’s post. This led to divisions that have crippled the party, halted projects in the city and played out in the nomination of local government election candidates in party branches.
Since the election, the SACP has repeatedly cried foul about the manner in which candidates were being nominated, saying those not aligned to the Zikalala camp were being “sidelined”.
Mthembu’s surprise promotion was announced at an ANC conference in Durban on Monday alongside four others replacing dismissed MECs and the new premier, Willies Mchunu. The dismissed MECs are Mike Mabuyakhulu (Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs), Ntombikayise Sibhidla-Saphetha (Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation), Peggy Nkonyeni (Education) and Cyril Xaba (Agriculture and Rural Development). They will be replaced by ANC provincial chairman Sihle Zikalala, Bongi Sithole-Moloi, Mthandeni Dlungwane and Mthembu respectively. Mabuyakhulu resigned as an MPL late on Monday.
ANC MPL Mxolisi Kaunda replaces new premier Willies Mchunu as MEC for Transport and Community Safety and Liaison.
The SACP provincial leadership convened a special provincial executive committee meeting on Monday night to deliberate on the matter. A decision was expected on Tuesday morning.
Mthembu confirmed to The Mercury on Monday that he had been approached by the ANC on Monday morning, but asked for 24 hours to consult the SACP.
“I did convey to the ANC that this is a decision that requires wise consultation. We do understand the right of the ANC to deploy and redeploy its cadres. But we need to take into consideration the other alliance partners. We’ll respond comprehensively tomorrow morning (today).”
However, the party’s youth wing, the Young Communist League, did not mince its words. The league’s provincial secretary, Justice Manana, told The Mercury on Monday that the league took exception to the “dubious handling of the matter”.
“We are talking to the secretary, trying to convince him not to take up the post. We believe that the move is set up to achieve particular ambitions, (because of) the manner in which it has been handled,” he said.
“He was told about the move only this morning, and while he was consulting (the SACP) they announced the appointment in the media. Our view is that he shouldn’t take the post.”
Political analyst Protas Madlala said that might be true, but in politics there was what was referred to as “political co-optation”.
This “co-optation” would be to keep the party’s biggest critic quiet, he said.
“He’s been the most vocal in the Senzo Mchunu and James Nxumalo camp. His accepting the post would be seen as a betrayal. Him not accepting the post would not surprise me.”
Bheki Mngomezulu, a UKZN political lecturer, said the party had handled the reshuffle poorly.
“It is a process that has not been properly thought through. Even the recalling of (Senzo) Mchunu, one would have thought that would have been used as a reference point and try not to repeat something of the same.”
Monday’s reshuffle did not come as a surprise, he said.
“With Mthembu, there are two issues: one, Mthembu knows this portfolio, given that he has served in the portfolio committee. On the other hand, one would say it was a way of silencing him because he has been vocal when Senzo Mchunu was recalled.”
He added that if it was true that Mthembu’s appointment had been made even before he could consult the SACP, this would be “unprocedural”.
“What normally happens is, before any change is made, a consultative process unfolds within the leadership. Negotiations happen internally... then negotiations with the alliance partners to make sure they are all on the same page - before the media is brought into the picture,” he said.
The Mercury