Durban - ANC national leaders are expected to keep a close eye on developments in KwaZulu-Natal and the eThekwini Metro, although there are no plans to disband the provincial leadership ahead of next year’s national general elections.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ANC was in the province this weekend amid mounting governance issues, including the near collapse of the National School Nutrition Programme contract which affected 5 400 schools that feed more than 2 million pupils, and concerns with the ANC winning only four of 12 recent by-elections.
There are also concerns about the state of the eThekwini Municipality, with experts being sent to assist the metro under Section 154 of the Constitution after it failed to spend R322 million it received in grant funding.
City manager Musa Mbhele is being probed for allegedly failing to disclose an investigation against him during the interview for the job and there are general decay and infrastructure challenges.
Sources said while branches at the weekend raised many challenges with the NWC, the general consensus was that any change in leadership would only benefit the DA and the IFP in the province ahead of elections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa at the weekend dismissed speculation that the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC) would be disbanded, saying that there was no reason for this.
“There is no decision, there is no reason and there is no plan to disband the PEC.
“We are here because we are going to all provinces to consolidate the unity that has been forged here, to strengthen the ANC and also look at how national can assist and strengthen the ANC in the province. From here we will go to other provinces as well.”
Ramaphosa said that there was no plan to disband any structures.
A source in the party said branches across the province had raised issues with service delivery concerns and told the NWC that this could prove to be a stumbling block at the polls.
“In Hluhluwe, the issue of disbanding the provincial leadership was raised, but it was agreed that a fresh campaign would be cumbersome and that it would introduce new factions that would challenge for these leadership positions.
“Despite the many challenges, it was agreed that national leadership could help strengthen the province and provide assistance until the elections.”
Another source said that service delivery challenges in eThekwini and other municipalities were making it difficult to convince the rank and file that a vote for the party would see a change in the scenario.
“There is a concern that if things are allowed to rot then this will be advantageous to the IFP.
“There are serious issues with water supply in the uMkhanyakude District. (Water and Sanitation Minister) Senzo Mchunu held an imbizo there recently and he has been urged to deal with these issues urgently.”
Mchunu last week told the communities of Big Five Hlabisa Municipality in uMkhanyakude District that work was progressing in earnest to ensure that water supply was restored to the residents of the municipality through the Section 63 intervention in the KZN northern district.
Earlier yesterday, Ramaphosa addressed supporters in Chatsworth and said that he had asked Cabinet ministers to focus on service delivery challenges and neglect and to come up with clear priorities to deliver services.
“I met with eThekwini councillors and said they need to make sure services are provided, to make sure there is water, and refuse collection is taking place.
“They made a commitment to focus on that.”
Ramaphosa said that the electricity crisis was being attended to..
“There is no problem without a solution and (minister of electricity Kgosientsho) Ramokgopa is going to solve this problem for us, working together with Minister (Gwede) Mantashe, working together with Minister Pravin Gordhan.”