(Graphic:John McCann/M&G)
The 54th ANC elective conference will be one of the most hotly contested in the party’s 105 year history. But it’s not just about Cyril Ramaphosa and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
There are a number of wheeler-dealers working hard behind the scenes to ensure their candidate emerges victorious.
Mail and Guardian has partnered with technology disruptors, Simplyfai, to compile a personality assessment based on a critical discourse analysis of four of these kingmakers.
For these characters, you are indeed what you say.
Sihle Zikalala has been playing a deadly politics game in Kwa-Zulu Natal for the past couple of years. His strategy saw him wrangle the reins from former Premier Senzo Mchunu in 2015. Though the elections have been declared unlawful by the KZN High Court in Pietermartizburg, Zikalala’s mind is only on ensuring the numbers win the national elective conference for his elected horse.
So the traits which show his strengths in communicating and being sociable are not off the mark especially seeing his mobilising skills in KZN but oddly enough using his own words, Zikalala comes across as an emotional based decision maker who has little emotional awareness.
Seeing how far he has come from the days of mobilising communities to take part in the country’s first democratic elections in 1994, it is odd that he is not rated highly for working hard.
However he is ranked highly in social skills and maybe that’s the ticket to lobbying the right people.
David Mabuza, the “cat” of politics has been sitting on the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature since 1994. But the former teacher has not stayed out of the headlines in connection with corruption in the province even after his appointment as Premier close to ten years ago. Somehow Mabuza has withstood many campaigns against him and maybe the traits flagged of being disciplined, dutiful and organised are the reason for his many political lives. His “Unity” slate has not been widely praised and has been strongly criticised by some, so it doesn’t come as a surprise when his traits show that he may care very little about truly getting along with others even though he scores highly in diplomacy.
Many have seen Bathabile Dlamini’s emotional outbursts in the past couple of years. She cried at a visit to Port Elizabeth, had a screaming match with a journalist asking about her ministerial duties and is the most emotionally responsive on the political front, see her abrupt response about Cyril Ramaphosa’s, Khwezi comment. It is not surprising that she is analysed as an emotional decision maker.
But few have seen her work a room and may be shocked that she ranks quite highly on social skills and is persuasive. These traits were useful when she mobilised for Jacob Zuma during his rape case and for him to be president of the country. Her sociability skills and discipline landed her the position of ANC Women’s League president and have been a driving force behind Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s campaign.
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma has had the longest political career of all the political wranglers this year. He has his own reasons for backing his horse. Most are personal and the words that he has used over the years portray him as a ruthless politician with an intense drive to succeed. But he scores very low in patience, which he will need in next few days. His stress levels are already high and the constant losing before the courts may have him tethering on the edge as the battle for the next ANC presidency begins. He is a work-horse, a trait candidates need on their side. Someone who won’t stop lobbying and trading.
But unfortunately he scores very low in trust and being genuine and it could only be those close to him who know what he is thinking next.