The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to hold a press conference on Friday to discuss the status of its relationship with its provincial chairperson, former president Jacob Zuma.
Zuma was elected chairperson of the civic organisation in November but on December 16 announced that he would not campaign for the governing party, nor would he vote for it, saying it was not the ANC he had joined.
Sanco is an alliance partner of the ANC.
“It will be a betrayal to campaign for the ANC of Ramaphosa. My conscience will not allow that,” he said.
Zuma said he would instead campaign and vote for the MK party, in the polls.
This sparked an almost immediate response from provincial ANC secretary Bheki Mtolo who responded to Zuma, saying in the party’s history, there had never been a former president and senior leader of the movement who publicly campaigned against the organisation.
A few days after Zuma’s announcement, Sanco held a press conference saying that he would remain chair of the civic body as it slammed the provincial ANC for interference in trying to pressure the organisation to charge the former president and remove him from the position.
Sanco’s provincial secretary Sizwe Cele told “The Mercury” on Thursday that Friday’s press conference would deal with the civic body’s relationship with Zuma as its provincial chairperson.
“We will go into detail on this issue tomorrow,” he said.
A source said that Zuma had failed to attend any recent meetings as Sanco chairperson.
“Sanco may decide on his fate based on the former president not attending the last four or five meetings as provincial chairperson,” the source said.
MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela said whether Zuma remained Sanco provincial chairperson or not, had no bearing on the party.
“These are two separate institutions, and there is no dependence on Sanco.
“They said previously that he could remain chairperson and represent whichever party he chose,” Ndlela said.
He said if Zuma remained as chair of Sanco, this would have no bearing on him campaigning for the MK Party or the party getting new membership.
“People are attracted to Zuma campaigning for the MK party because they know he is a performer and life was better under his presidency.”
Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said if Zuma was no longer the chairperson of Sanco, he would continue to receive the support of its members.
“Zuma used Sanco as a platform to engage with people but the MK party has offered him a much larger platform to do this. This may also cause divisions in Sanco and it may find itself in a situation where some leave the civic body to join the party that Zuma has endorsed.”
Another political analyst Thabani Khumalo said he did not think that Zuma would be affected.
“Sanco is not meant to be a political party, and in fact allows members from different political parties so that it can fight for the rights of citizens and residents as a civic organisation.
“Regardless of what happens, there is still an opportunity for the ANC to engage with Zuma. This is what they should have done after his December 16 press conference,” Khumalo said.
The Mercury