A new ANC faction has emerged in North West which plans to oust leaders of the dominant grouping from ANC party structures and government positions in the province.
Nicknamed the ‘Potch mafiaâ€, the grouping is allegedly led by Ndleleni Duma, provincial deputy secretary of the ANC and sports, arts and culture provincial minister.
The new faction is reportedly based in Potchefstroom and consists of disgruntled members from two well-known ANC factions in the province, the ‘Mapogo†and the dominant ‘Talibanâ€.
The Mail & Guardian has learnt that the Talibans are trying to purge Duma, himself a former Taliban, from the provincial executive committee of the ANC and the provincial government because of his involvement in the Travelgate scandal.
Duma pleaded guilty to theft of more than R50 000 and was fined R30 000 or three years in prison. However, Duma has dismissed suggestions of attempts to remove him from the party and government. ‘As far as I’m concerned, the thing [Travelgate] is over.â€
Asked about the existence of the new faction and whether he was its leader, Duma said: ‘In all ANC regions in the province you don’t find any view that suggests the party is divided into factions.â€
Party sources told the M&G this week that relations between Duma and Supra Mahumapelo, the ANC provincial secretary, have been strained because of the rift.
A provincial executive member said: ‘Duma sees himself as [more] politically matured than Supra. In the same vein, Supra sees himself as a warlord who started the Taliban.â€
As former ANC provincial secretary Duma is not a political lightweight. In 1998 he challenged Popo Molefe, the former premier, for the ANC provincial chairmanship, but was thumped in a fiercely contested election.
Some party sources believe the Potch mafia is displacing the Taliban.
Last year, disgruntled members of Mapogo complained of a well-orchestrated plan by the Taliban to purge them from party structures and government positions.
A document, allegedly written by the Taliban and entitled Eradication of Popo Molefe’s Legacy, gives credence to their claims. The document refers to a plan to remove all those who served under Molefe as provincial MPs, mayors, ANC provincial executive committee members and senior municipal officials.
Duma and Sam Mokaila, the ANC provincial spokesperson, wrote the document.
Referring to the purge, Mapogo leaders have accused the Taliban of suffering from ‘the donkey syndromeâ€, referring to former Bophuthatswana leader Lucas Mangope’s orders for all donkeys to be killed in the former homeland.
Other party leaders believe the emergence of the Potch Mafia is directly linked to the bitter succession battle in the ruling party.
‘The reasons for the factions centre around national political dynamics. People within the Taliban feel that [President Thabo] Mbeki seems to be listening only to the secretary [Mahumapelo]. They are concerned that the secretary is becoming too powerful because he is close to Mbeki,†said a PEC member.
Meanwhile, in a bid to destabilise the Talibans, the Mapogo members have allegedly swelled the ranks of the South African National Civics Organisation to mobilise the communities against ANC structures and local municipal leaders.
Some party members said the Potch Mafia was planninig to take control of key ANC positions during the party’s provincial elective conference scheduled for May next year.