The election of former president Jacob Zuma as the KwaZulu-Natal chairperson of the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has been welcomed by the ANC in the province.
Zuma was elected in absentia on Sunday, having been previously elected to the position earlier this year in a disputed provincial election.
This resulted in the former president and others steering an interim structure following the disbandment of the organisation’s provincial leadership structure.
At the weekend Sanco, an alliance partner of the ANC, resolved its differences, electing Zuma as chairperson, Lawrence Dube as his deputy, Sizwe Cele as provincial secretary, Lucky Hadebe as deputy provincial secretary, Sabatha Mzimela as provincial treasurer and Mduduzi Hlatshwayo as provincial organiser.
The ANC in the province has for months been saying it was crucial to include Zuma as part of the provincial election machinery.
The party’s provincial secretary, Bheki Mtolo, said they noted and welcomed the election of Zuma as the provincial chairperson.
“We recognise Msholozi’s ability to bridge the gap between rich and poor, urban and rural. He has for years been instrumental in strengthening efforts aimed at breaking barriers of prejudices.
“As a senior leader of our movement who understands the historical role of Sanco, we have no doubt that he will unite civil society movements behind common objectives of building strong communities where there is improved quality of life.” Mtolo added that Zuma would strengthen lines of communication between amakhosi, religious leaders and representatives of communities.
“At the recently held alliance summit, alliance partners agreed to hold accountable all leaders deployed by the ANC to different structures within the state.
“Our view is that the responsibility to ensure the ANC-led government delivers, lies in the hands of the alliance partners more than it does with the opposition,” Mtolo said.
In June, Zuma speaking at an integration meeting between the then divided parts of the organisation, said he would not leave the ANC and it was important that the party did not fall below 30% of electoral support as this would also be a failure for Sanco.
“I was talking to some men. I told them don’t run away from home. How do you run away from your parents’ home?” he said in reference to the ANC.
Mzwanele Manyi, spokesperson for the Jacob Zuma Foundation, said Zuma’s involvement in Sanco is loyal to the original mandate of the organisation, which saw it as a civic organisation working across the political spectrum.
“The former president is a community worker and Sanco’s objective is to assist communities. The organisation, properly understood, assists all communities with community work.”
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said historically Sanco had formed part of the alliance with the ANC, SACP, Cosatu and the UDF.
“There was a disjuncture between the provincial and national leadership of the organisation but it appears that those problems have been resolved.”
He said the ANC in KZN had indicated that it wanted to rope in Zuma as part of its election campaign.
“His holding of this position will assist the ANC and the alliance ... it will rally them together and the ANC will be strengthened going forward.”
Another analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said Zuma will be expected to campaign vigorously for the ANC ahead of next year’s elections.
“He will play a very important and visible role when the ANC campaigns. This could be a boost for the party as he remains popular in the province, although nationally he is seen as a liability.”
Ndlovu said the political dynamic in the province had changed and while Zuma may help the ANC in some areas, the party still faces challenges on many fronts.
The Mercury