The National Democratic Convention’s (Nadeco) future will be on the line when it holds its national congress on Saturday, with some KwaZulu-Natal political analysts predicting its two factions will split.
Independent analyst Protas Madladla said on Friday: ”I can’t see the rift being healed.”
He said he expected the two factions within the party to drift ”further” apart.
He said the party had to deal with personality clashes between party founder Ziba Jiyane and Reverend Hawu Mbatha.
Former University of KwaZulu-Natal Professor John Daniels shared Mdlala’s sentiment.
”Instead of a weak party, you could have two super weak parties. There could be a party without him [Jiyane].”
Earlier this month the party was ordered by the Pietermaritzburg High Court to hold its electoral congress. It will take place at Mkhumbane Community Hall at Cato Crest in Durban on Saturday.
The party has been divided into two camps: those backing Jiyane, and those backing Mbatha. Jiyane and Mbatha have been at odds over who should replace John Aulsebrook in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. Aulsebrook died in a motorcycle crash three months ago.
Mbatha himself said on Friday he hoped the congress in Durban would resolve all quarrels within Nadeco.
”This will resolve a number of issues and the people themselves will choose their leaders.”
He would not comment on the possibility of there being two political entities after the congress.
Jiyane could not be reached for comment.
Nadeco was formed in September last year after Jiyane was axed by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) for having implied that its leader, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, was a dictator.
Nadeco was the biggest beneficiary of last year’s floor-crossing period with four national MPs and four provincial MPs joining the party.
Seven came from the IFP and Mbatha from the African Christian Democratic Party. It contested the March local government election and holds the balance of power between the Inkatha Freedom Party and the African National Congress in the important Umhlatuze (Richards Bay and Empangeni) municipality. — Sapa