He is head of the ANC’s military intelligence and he has ”officially” been back in the country from exile since March. Since then he has played a key role in several peace efforts including the Umfolozi Accord in Northern Natal, and in talks over the troubled Ndwedwe area. He also led the ANC side in several rounds of talks with senior Inkatha officials. His executive brings a new look leadership to the region, and many who dominated extra-parliamentary politics in Durban are now taking a back seat.
Among those no longer at the helm are United Democratic Front national president Archie Gumede, UDF national chairman Cumick Ndlovu, Natal Indian Congress officials Yunus Mahomed, MJ Naidoo and George Sewpershad, and several prominent figures detained over the Operation Vula affair – Pravin Gordhan, Jabu Sithole and Billy Nair. Only two of the convening committee, appointed by head office to establish the infrastructure for new branches, were elected to the executive. In comes Zuma’s deputy Jeff Radebe, secretary Sbu Ndebele, treasurer Mzilikazi Khumalo and eight other executive members. Six of the 12-member executive are former Robben Island political prisoners, there are two women and two Natal University academics.
From the beginning there was little do Zuma would be elected. Some delegates were so sure they arrived at the conference carrying ANC flags bearing Zuma’s picture. He was the only nominee for the post and was unanimously chosen. Speculation since then that the head of the convening committee Patrick ”Terror” Lekota had been ”deposed” by Zuma after a leadership tussle are however unfounded. It has been known for some months that Lekota would not be staying on in Natal after the conference and that he could well take up a similar position as convenor establishing branches of the ANC in the Free State. He did not initially make himself available for election but during the conference his arm was twisted by some of his many supporters and, at the last minute, he reluctantly allowed his name to go forward for election as vice-chairman.
He was not elected to this position: his surprise nomination found many votes already committed through pre-election lobbying; and it could also indicate that people knew he was due to leave the region. Like Lekota, Zuma is known to be committed to achieving peace in Natal and favours talks. However, he has not blotted his copybook with Inkatha leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi – one of the many who have welcomed Zuma’s election. While Lekota has made some speeches to which Buthelezi has taken exception, describing them as ”war talk”, Zuma is a comparative newcomer to Natal regional politics and has a clean slate. This could work to his advantage in negotiations with Inkatha.
Following his election he has another advantage over members of previous Natal peace talks delegations – he will act both with a local mandate (something which often proved a problem for previous delegations) and with the authority of a member of the national executive committee. But his membership of the NEC could also present difficulties -there is some concern whether he will be able to devote adequate time to the special problems of the Southern Natal region, given his national commitments. Speaking after his election Zuma said he did not yet know where he would be based and that this would depend on the ANC. ”But I should spend a little bit more time here than before.”
Conference resolutions on key issues such as national negotiations and Natal violence have not yet been finalised. The conference ran late and resolutions have been postponed to a separate meeting due to be held before the national consultative conference. However, Zuma said he was “hopeful†on both issues, negotiations and peace. Among the tasks he identified for the executive was the organization of the ANC in the region. ”We also see as our immediate and very crucial task to deal with the question of violence in this region, and to bring the ANC into the hearts and minds of the people of this region as vigorously as we can.â€
A final advantage for Zuma – which he discounts as being an ”ethnic†consideration – is that he is a Zulu. His election counters the gibe often leveled at the ANC by for example elements within Inkatha that it is Xhosa dominated and that Zulus should not join the organization as their political home ”is in Inkatha”. Zuma was born in the Inkandla Forest area of Northern Natal but grew up and worked in Durban’s Cato Manor and kwaMashu areas. Against this background his election also neatly answers the call made by Robben Island prisoners to the conference – for the establishment of a local, African leadership in the region.
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
