DURBAN - ANC leaders looking to challenge Cyril Ramaphosa for the ruling party’s top position will need to choose a single candidate as opposed to squabbling among themselves, a political analyst has warned.
With the ANC set to hold its provincial elections ahead of the national elective conference at the end of the year, several names have emerged in the race for ANC president.
While Lindiwe Sisulu and Dr Zweli Mkhize have been touted as challengers to Ramaphosa, other names are expected to emerge as days draw nearer to the elective conference.
University of Zululand analyst Professor Sipho Seepe has cautioned against several leaders in the ruling party raising their hand for the top position, saying this could affect any chance of a meaningful contest.
“When you are battling with someone that has state power in his hands it is always an uphill battle to compete with them. In 2007, building up to the elective conference in Polokwane, there were many people who fancied their chances but eventually realised that in order to beat Thabo Mbeki, one candidate had to emerge and be supported and that is how Jacob Zuma emerged victorious,” said Seepe.
The analyst said while it was too early to call who will emerge as the main challenger or even win the ANC presidency, Mkhize stood a good chance because of his public profile and support in KwaZulu-Natal.
He said South African politics had some similarities with established democracies such as the US, where individuals with a public profile stood a better chance of moving to the top office.
“When you look at the US, you will see that many individuals who have become heads of state or presidents were governors in their states and that is how their profiles were raised. Dr Mkhize was the ANC KZN chairperson and premier, so he has that profile working for him,” Seepe added.
He pointed out that this set Mkhize apart from his other comrades looking at challenging Ramaphosa.
Mkhize has been gaining support in KZN. Earlier this week, The Mercury’s sister newspaper Daily News reported that former Moses Mabhida regional chairperson and ANC provincial executive member Alpha Shelembe had come out in support of Mkhize to be elected as party president. Last week he was visited by the church and traditional leaders who urged him to avail himself for the presidential position.
Meanwhile, ANC members in eThekwini have expressed concern at the continuing delay for the elective conference which has been prompted by a stayaway at the party’s headquarters in Luthuli House in Johannesburg. ANC staff are striking as they have not been paid.
“This is starting to get worrisome because what we should be discussing now is getting ready for the provincial conference, but that cannot happen because there is no movement or processing of documentation at the headquarters,” said a member who insisted on being anonymous.
He added that they had been hoping to have the conference by this month, but were becoming increasingly anxious as the days passed.
One of the worries from members, he pointed out, was that the delay could affect the sitting of the provincial conference.
This year, the ANC is expected to hold provincial conferences, the national policy conference and the all-important elective conference in December.
THE MERCURY