ANC accepts Sihle Zikalala’s resignation

The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has accepted the resignation of Premier Sihle Zikalala.

The party says Zikalala offered the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) his resignation on Thursday.

“The PEC communicated with the ANC National Officials and were instructed to make recommendations of three names of comrades who will undergo an interview process. The names of Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Amanda Bani and Mbali Fraizer were submitted and they are going for interviews tomorrow.”

ALSO READ: Sihle Zikalala set to step down as KZN premier – reports

The ANC says it accepted Sihle Zikalala’s resignation with pain and difficulty as he was still doing a great job in the province since he took over.

“We are grateful for the job he has done for the people of this province and we appreciate that he made a conscious decision not to leave office hastily.”

“Comrade Zikalala’s tenure has come with a lot of good in the province, including a number of provincial government departments receiving unqualified audit outcomes for the first time. We thank comrade Zikalala for his dedication to serve the people of KwaZulu-Natal as he was mandated by the ANC,” the party said.

The ANC says a new premier will be sworn in once interviews are concluded and Zikalala’s resignation confirmed by the provincial legislature.

Zikalala’s resignation comes after his bid for a second term as ANC chairperson was thwarted as legislature chair of chairs Siboniso Duma received the nod for the top job at the 9th provincial conference in Durban

Zikalala also failed to make it into the ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC).

His loss was a blow to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who would be seeking a second term in December.

Zikalala’s slate was flattened by the pro-RET ‘Taliban’ slate led by Duma.

ALSO READ: ‘Unity will prevail in ANC’ – Duma, after Zikalala loses KZN chairmanship