Days after the Zandile Gumede faction flexed its muscles by blocking the provincial leadership from addressing eThekwini ANC branches regarding its decision to axe the former mayor, thousands of branches gathered on Sunday to launch a counterpunch.
The gathering was dubbed as a bid to save the collapse of the party structure in the eThekwini region, to oppose factionalism and it was attended by prominent leaders who are opposed to Gumede’s rule.
Among them was Thinta Cibane of the ANC youth league in the region, Thabani Nyawose, an aspiring regional chairperson, and Fawzia Peer and Barbra Fontein, both members of the exco of eThekwini.
Notably, though, most senior members of the ANC attended the gathering are former members of the CR17 faction in the run up to the 2017 Nasrec conference.
Addressing the members that he claimed came from 110 branches, Bheki Ntuli, a former regional chairperson under Gumede, condemned the Friday disruption of Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Ricardo Mthembu who wanted to address the branches at a meeting held at Moses Mabhida Stadium on why they axed Gumede.
Bheki Ntuli says they condemn the disruption that happened at Friday's meeting where chairs were thrown. Video: Sihle Mavuso/Politics.
He said it was an act that shows that some people were not willing to accept the decision of the provincial leadership.
Ntuli further commended the leadership of the ANC women’s league for meeting the provincial leadership in order to vent its frustration over the axing of Gumede. He said they were given reasons and went back happy.
Video: Sihle Mavuso/Politics.
Indirectly lambasting Gumede, Ntuli accused her of nepotism, dictatorship and causing divisions in the party.