KWAZULU-Natal-based business heavyweight and AmaZulu FC owner Sandile Zungu is trashing opponents in his bid to be elected as chairperson of the ANC in the province.
In a surprising twist over the weekend, the mogul turned down calls for him to be premier saying “he was not interested in a government position but wanted to be chairperson of the ANC in order to renew and rebuild the party”.
It was believed that provincial Finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube was in the lead to be the province’s chairperson but Zungu’s “New KwaZulu programme” has put in spanner in the works.
Zungu has been meeting big corporates in a bid to create jobs, construct new highways and a fast train between Durban, Pietermaritzburg and Richards Bay.
Early this year several people asked Zungu to consider contesting the top position and that resulted in the incumbent chairperson, Sihle Zikalala, saying people must stop nominating themselves.
Campaign fronter Vusi Mvelase told The Star’s sister paper Daily News that “as members of the ANC they met and felt that Zungu was the person they needed”.
“We realise that we need someone with the character and integrity of someone like Zungu. There is a general consensus about him. It’s time for leadership with credibility,” Mvelase said.
As part of their lobbying, Mvelase, Chiliza, Zungu and others recently visited the Mzala Nxumalo region, where Zungu was given “a platform to greet party members.”
S’bu Mhlongo confirmed that Zungu and his lobbyists attended their gathering in Vryheid some weeks ago.
“It was a build-up towards our conference,” Mhlongo said when asked about the gathering captured on video.
Zungu told the Daily News that he will officially reconsider his stance once he has been officially nominated.
Spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela said after the provincial executive committee meeting, the party decided that the conference be held in Durban, adding that the party has the option of using the Durban University of Technology campus or the Olive Convention Centre near the beach.
As the regions wrap up their nominations in two weeks, it looks like it will be a race between the current provincial chairperson Zikalala, Zungu and Finance MEC Nomusa Dube Ncube who is also the ANC provincial treasurer. They have all emerged as favourites as branches rush to meet the end of the month deadline.
Ntombela said it was difficult to know which leader has received more nominations than the others since nominations come sealed to the provincial office.