Mkhize and wife’s names vanish from ANC branch voting roll

ANC treasurer general Zweli Mkhize is one of the candidates vying to replace President Jacob Zuma as the party leader.

ANC treasurer general Zweli Mkhize is one of the candidates vying to replace President Jacob Zuma as the party leader.

Published Nov 6, 2017

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Durban – African National Congress treasurer general Dr Zweli Mkhize says that his name and that of his wife, Dr May Mashego, did not appear on the voter’s roll at his Ward 14 Willowfontein branch when it convened to vote for its preferred candidate to lead the ruling party on Sunday.

“It is true,” Mkhize said via text message. “I attended the last [Branch Executive Committee] meeting in preparation for policy conference, our names were in. Today (Sunday) they are removed.”

Mkhize is contending for the position of party president but has thus far had scant support in his home province, where he once served as premier and provincial ANC chairman. Willowfontein falls under the party’s Moses Mabhida region in the Pietermaritzburg area.

Although it could not be officially confirmed, African News Agency (ANA) understands that the branch voted for former African Union chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Speaking to ANA on Monday, KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary, Super Zuma, confirmed that Mkhize and Mashego’s names were not on the roll.

“It is a matter that one will have to check. There are many factors to check. One will have to check what happened,” said Zuma.

But Zuma also said that he was aware that Mkhize and Mashego’s names were not on the voting roll before the meeting convened.

“I know for a fact that the branch brought it to our attention when they were finalising the process of auditing. We were told that it was too late to process it," said Zuma. 

“We advised the branch not to proceed with the branch general meeting for about three weeks,” he said, adding that this would have given the ANC time to undertake an audit.

Asked why the meeting went ahead despite the advanced warning and the province’s call for it to be delayed, Zuma said: “We can’t speak about how processes are being done.”

When asked about allegations that the names of other Mkhize family members were also removed from the roll, Zuma said: “I will not deal with other allegations. I am dealing with the matter that was brought to my attention.”

It was unclear at the time of publication if Mkhize and Mashengo were at the meeting. Calls to the Moses Mabhida ANC chair and secretary were not answered, nor were calls to the branch secretary or Mkhize.  

African News Agency

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