Gumede standing for regional chair may have stalled conference

Some dissatisfied ANC delegates believe the delay to the start of the party’s eThekwini regional conference in KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend was not only about a dispute over credentials.

They say it might have been more to prevent disgraced Zandile Gumede, former eThekwini mayor, from winning. They believed she was on the brink of winning the ANC eThekwini regional chair against council speaker Thabani Nyawose, who they thought represented the President Cyril Ramaphosa faction.

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At the time of publishing, the conference had not yet been concluded, but some of the insiders claimed Gumede was smelling victory. The conference had not started on the second day of its scheduled sitting yesterday, as some members queried the register.

“They are trying to stop this conference because she is winning. But we are not going to allow it,” said a member, who asked not to be named.

Gumede contested the position, despite facing charges of corruption flowing from a R320-million solid waste tender graft that occurred in 2017 at the Durban-based metro.

eThekwini is the strongest region of the ANC in the country, and the race between Gumede and Nyawose was seen as test of support for former president Jacob Zuma and Ramaphosa in KwaZulu-Natal.

It’s the first time that someone who openly supported the Ramaphosa camp had stood in KwaZulu-Natal, which is known for preferring locally born candidates.

A victory for Gumede is a victory for the radical economic transformation forces of the ruling party (the faction against Ramaphosa), while a win for Nyawose would show the level of support Ramaphosa had in the Zuma-dominated province.

But Gumede’s decision to enter the race put the ANC in a dilemma, as she was supposed to be disqualified in terms of the ANC’s step-aside policy due to the charges she faces in court.

But both the KwaZulu-Natal ANC and Luthuli House did not stop her from contesting the election, which they had the power to do as upper structures. Instead KZN ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli blamed the ANC national executive committee (NEC) for having failed to provide for members who had been put on the step- aside list to enter party elections, if nominated.

However, Ntuli was seen as passing the buck because as senior leaders with the NEC, they were empowered to identify any wrong and rectify it immediately. The implication of Gumede being elected, was that all other members on the step-aside list, such as suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, could now stand for election.

Similarly, the newly elected Mpumalanga ANC treasurer Mandla Msibi, who is charged with murder and attempted murder along with four others, could also return to his position as there would be no more justification for him to step aside.

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