The African National Congress (ANC) is being tested but its greatest test will be the 2009 elections, party president Jacob Zuma said on Sunday at the ANC’s sixth provincial conference in Pietermaritzburg.
Zuma told delegates during his closing address: ”The elections are very important and it will test the ANC to the limit.”
The elections are not about winning, but about increasing voter percentage. Zuma said the party’s central task is to prepare properly for the elections, to ensure the ANC’s victory.
It is up to the delegates to ensure an overwhelming majority, he said.
On Sunday, delegates heard that 25 people had been elected to the provincial executive committee — 12 women and 13 men.
The names of the 20 who were announced on Sunday included the Congress of South African Trade Unions’s Zet Luzipho, provincial education minister Ina Cronje and Mishack Radebe.
On Saturday, KwaZulu-Natal finance minister Zweli Mkhize was named the new ANC chairperson in the province, replacing Premier S’bu Ndebele, who held the position for nearly 10 years.
Speaker of the legislature Willies Mchunu trounced safety and security minister Bheki Cele for the position of deputy chairperson. Cele accepted nomination from the floor to get only 56 votes instead of the required 241.
Senzo Mchunu retained his position as secretary general of the party for the third term. Health minister Peggy Nkonyeni was voted in as treasurer, replacing local government minister Mike Mabuyakhulu.
Sihle Zikalala, former ANC Youth League secretary, replaced Mbuso Kubheka as deputy secretary.
Zuma congratulated the delegates, saying there had been no incidents of violence and that he was proud of the KwaZulu-Natal conference. Delegates had shown great leadership potential.
Mkhize on Sunday gave his first speech as the new provincial leader, stressing that the ANC will remain united in the province.
”I wish to announce that there is no conflict of roles, no leadership crisis and no two centres of power. We remain united as one ANC of KZN,” said Mkhize. ”Winning or losing in an ANC election does not reduce the respect, dignity that the members had.”
Zuma commended the delegates, saying their behaviour was impeccable. Members who had disrupted recent branch meetings had not been portraying the practices of the ANC, he said. — Sapa