It was a tough and factional fight to the top in the ANC’s eThekwini region, which hit a climax early on Sunday, where incumbent mayor James Nxumalo took over as chairperson of the ANC’s strongest region.
Nxumalo is the South African Communist Party provincial chairperson and a key ally to its leader, Blade Nzimande, which makes his win of political kingmaker an interesting realignment of ANC politics.
The first thing Nxumalo has to do, by his own account, is to stabilise a region whose power has deteriorated to deep factionalism. Nxumalo defeated the region’s former treasurer Zandile Gumede in a contest riddled with accusations of “cash-for-votes”, intimidation and violence.
On the surface, Nxumalo’s win allows for the centralisation of power between the party and state. This means Nxumalo would most probably be reelected as eThekwini mayor in the 2016 local government elections – but more crucially, he would have full control of the municipality’s R36-billion budget.
Within ANC factional politics, Nxumalo enjoyed the endorsement of incumbent provincial chairperson Senzo Mchunu alongside KZN ANC heavyweight and deputy minister of forestry, fisheries and agriculture Bheki Cele. His win by far empowers that slate for their own national ambitions within the ANC.
Unmatched power
Due to its unmatched power in the ANC, eThekwini has historically called the shots and served as catalyst for serious decisions taken by the ANC – especially the push to have Jacob Zuma as president.
While eThekwini still remains influential in the ANC, it may not enjoy the same clout it once had in the party now as a result of its factional paralysis. The conference was repeatedly told of the need to unite behind the new leadership but many insiders are doubtful of this as a result of the numerous vested interests in the region.
This conference has direct bearing on the way the ANC’s provincial conference, to be held next year, would swing.
ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala has apparently been positioning himself to takeover as provincial chairperson from incumbent Mchunu. But Zikalala backed Gumede in the race to the top for the ANC and according to one provincial leader; “if you don’t have eThekwini, you don’t have the province”.
While Zikalala said they were satisfied with the conference, he stressed the importance of a united eThekwini region. “We congratulate the elected leadership and we need to consolidate [the] unity of the organisation and focus on preparations for [the] local government elections,” he said. Zikalala said he believed the conference “went well”.
ANC National Executive Committee member deployed to eThekwini, Jackson Mthembu acknowledged that unity was a serious concern in that region. The region has the might to alter ANC leadership in the country. It has before, but only when singing the same tune.
The test now for the region is whether the communist allied leadership would be able to unite the region solidly as the ground gets thinner closer to the ANC’s national election battle in 2017.
Newcomers to other top positions in the region include Thabani Nyawose as deputy chairperson, Mthunzi Dlamini as secretary, Cheryl Sisoka as deputy secretary and Phelelani Mshengu as regional treasurer.