ANC's risky KZN gamble

Gossiping about each other at the Luthuli House and jostling for leadership positions instead rebuilding provincial structures is what led to the KwaZulu-Natal ANC provincial task team (PTT) being shown the door, say ANC insiders. 

An ANC regional leader in the province said the relationship among PTT members had reached its lowest level. 

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, announced at the sidelines of the ANC’s National General Council (NGC) meeting in Boksburg this week  that the PTT would be disbanded for its failure to achieve the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) goal - to rebuild the ANC in the province, previously its strongest province in the country.  

This resulted in the PTTs dismal failure to carry out the mandate of rebuilding the ANC structures.

The PTT was appointed in February with former Justice and Constitutional Development minister Jeff Radebe as its convenor and former economic development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu as its coordinator.   

The team replaced the provincial executive committee, whose chairperson was Siboniso Duma and secretary was Bheki Mtolo, after the ANC had lost control of the provincial government after last year’s general elections.

Sources said the PTT was given two weeks to start a process of holding branch executive meetings (BGMs) to elect new branch leaders.

“There were zero BGMs held ahead of the NGC,” said one of the leaders. 

When it was appointed, the PTT was instructed to disband all branches and regions and reconstitute them. 

“However delegates from the province were sent to the NGC by non-existing branches, meaning those delegates represented cooked or fake branches,” he said. 

Another ANC insider from the province said there were “total” differences between Radebe and Mabuyakhulu. 

“They are failing even to convene BGMs, and even this NGC was attended by cooked branches,” said another leader. 

However, another member blamed PTT members for being more interested in promoting themselves to be elected leaders in the upcoming provincial elective conference “than working on the ground in rebuilding the structures of the movement.” 

The member said they would be members of the PTT who would travel to Johannesburg to meet Mbalula and gossip about others, telling him who should lead and who should not. 

“That is why he (Mbalula) says they are fighting.

“It is not Mike and Jeff who are doing this, but it is the younger ones,” he said.

Spokesperson for the outgoing PTT, Fanle Sibisi, said the PTT has accepted the disbandment although it had not met the NEC on the issue. 

He said the PTT was initially supposed to operate for nine months, but its existence was extended to the first half of next year. 

“The PTT accepts and welcomes the decision as it is, with the purview of the NEC to decide such a nature, and we are not worried about it. 

“As long as it is going to help the organisation, we will be there to support and ensure that the work of the organisation continues,” he said.

Sibisi said rebuilding ANC provincial structures was a process that could not be achieved overnight. 

“Hence, we started a process to appoint regional task teams (RETs) across 11 regions in the province, which we did successfully.

“Then the RET was also tasked to appoint branch task teams (BTTs), of which at least 90% have been concluded [although] there are still challenges in some of the regions, but we are attending to that and we are in a process of rebuilding structures,” said Sibisi.

Admitting that there were differences, Sibisi said, “Of course, in a structure of 66 people there would be views that are differing, which is why there is a collective leadership.”  

However, Mbalula's move could cost the ANC. Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said the secretary-general was out of line in announcing the disbandment without first discussing the matter with the structure.

Seepe said without providing evidence that the PTT had failed to carry out its mandate, Mbalula was at risk of alienating the ANC in the province. 

“These are the serious allegations that he makes, and there must be evidence to that effect.

“In the absence of evidence, he is simply abusing his position as the secretary-general, which is unfortunate because Mbalula is known to say some things that he has not thought through,” said Seepe.

He said it was unlike Radebe and Mabuyakhulu were desperate for positions.

“These are not junior people, and Radebe has nothing to gain because he has seen it all, as he was one of the longest serving ministers. It is not like he is looking for a lucrative position, and the suggestion by Mbalula is very serious,” said Seepe.

He described Mabuyakhulu as a respected, seasoned politician with long service in the provincial Cabinet. 

“I don’t think he has a vested interest in any position in the province, and when you listen to him, he sounds very sober. (Siboniso) Duma was elected as a provincial chairperson, so it is not like he is desperate for the position because he is the MEC who is very active and strong.

“It is easier to throw mud at people, but difficult to make it stick, and Fikile runs a risk of alienating the KZN ANC. Also, to say something like that on a public platform without having spoken to the people (PTT members) shows arrogance,” said Seepe. 

bongani.hans@inl.co.za