DURBAN - THE ANC eThekwini Region’s muchawaited elective conference is set to be a two-horse race, pitting former mayor Zandile Gumede against current eThekwini council speaker Thabani Nyawose, with both sides brimming with confidence about their chances of victory.
Gumede’s supporters expressed confidence in the chances of their candidate coming out on top as they believe they have done sufficient lobbying for her. Gumede is now a member of the provincial legislature following her removal by the governing party’s top brass from the mayor’s office in 2019. She is facing corruption charges linked to the R320 million Durban Solid Waste tender.
“Given the massive effort that has been put in this campaign, victory is certain for our comrade,” said Njabulo Mchunu, one of Gumede’s key backers.
He also dismissed suggestions that they had lobbied eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda to stand for the position of chairperson instead of Gumede, as a result of her brushes with the law.
“Comrade Mxolisi serves in the provincial executive committee and that instantly disqualifies him from standing for a leadership position in a lower structure,” Mchunu said.
Gumede’s slate also features Themba Ntuli as deputy chairperson, Musa Ncika as regional secretary, with Nkosenhle Madlala as deputy and Nomthandazo Shabalala as treasurer.
Mchunu said the list showed a fair mix of experience and youth, adding that this was one of the reasons that it would appeal to party delegates at the conference.
With the spadework in the form of branch general meetings having been held, ANC members are now eagerly awaiting the green light from the governing party’s headquarters, Luthuli House, to hold the elective conference which was planned for this month.
Nyawose’s camp was equally upbeat about the prospects at the elective conference. His slate features Mthunzi Dlamini as deputy chairperson, Bheki Ntuli as secretary, Thanduxolo Sabelo as deputy, and Ntokozo Sibiya as treasurer. One of Nyawose’s staunch backers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were satisfied with the groundwork done leading up to the conference.
“So far we have received 55 nominations for our candidate and we are quite convinced that this puts us in a commanding position, leading to the conference,” said the member. The chairperson position is a coveted one as in most cases chairpersons become mayors of their respective cities.
ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela confirmed that, following branch meetings that had been held over the past few days, the region had reached the benchmark for the number of branches required to be present for the regional conference.
“With the recent branch general meetings, the 70% benchmark has been reached and it is now up to the head office to conduct an audit of whether everything has been done by the book and then the elective conference can go ahead,” said Ntombela, who would not disclose the date of the conference.
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