Lesufi and Duma lose grip as ANC reshapes provincial leadership

While the ANC was expected to make an announcement about “reconfigured” provincial structures for Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, it was clear the party aims to clip the wings of ANC Gauteng chair Panyaza Lesufi.

His KZN counterpart, Siboniso Duma, would suffer the same fate. He lost his province to Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party and was, therefore, unable to offer any resistance to Luthuli House’s decision.

Lesufi and Duma set to serve in interim provincial teams

Both leaders were set to serve in the new interim provincial teams that were expected to be announced yesterday.

Their roles have been curtailed, as leaders would be the party stalwarts deployed into the reconfigured teams, which are expected to work hard to turn around the ANC performance in future elections.

Early reports indicated Lesufi and Duma would be co-conveners of the task team to the Luthuli House deployees, who will be running the party on behalf of the national executive committee (NEC).

The party performed dismally in last year’s general elections in Gauteng and KZN, where Lesufi’s ANC received 34%, while Duma’s ANC completely lost the majority at 17%, paving the way for Jacob Zuma’s MK to get a clean 45%.

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Political analyst Dirk Kotzé said introducing NEC members or any external appointees would not bring about significant change, as similar deployments had occurred in the past without positive results.

The new structures were expected to develop and implement turnaround strategies in both provinces to reverse the ANC’s electoral losses.

Tensions may arise between PEC and deployed members

Tension may arise between the provincial executive committees (PEC) and the deployed senior members, as the provincial leaders might prefer not to appear out of control.

Lesufi, in particular, was used to being the boss.

For him it would be unpalatable to take orders from ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, his political nemesis and potential future leadership rival.

“We knew the NEC members would be allocated to the two provinces, but what role they are going to play in those structures, we don’t know yet,” Kotzé said.

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“They might make unpopular decisions and take responsibility for them, which would save the PECs from taking the blame.

“But they have to devise a concrete plan to turn around the situation in those provinces, otherwise the exercise would be a waste of time and resources.”

ANC dealings in Gauteng and KZN complex

The ANC’s dealings with the two provinces had been complex. It feared losing Gauteng to a DA-led coalition, while trying to regain KZN from MK.

The ANC had to act cautiously lest it caused disgruntlement that would result in break-ups.

Kotzé said the ANC was careful not to act harshly in both provinces by retaining their top leaders in the interim structures.

“It is close to the local government elections, and the ANC national elections will happen in two years’ time, and President Cyril Ramaphosa does not want to allow people to be disgruntled.

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“Indeed, they can be upset, and some may even go to MK party. This means he can’t go all out against the PECs,” Kotzé said.

The ANC wanted to make radical changes but was scared to make those changes lest the whole process flopped.

Soft approach incomparable to other provinces

The ANC’s soft approach towards Gauteng and KZN is incomparable to other provinces.

Luthuli House was swift to install interim structures in the Free State, North West and Western Cape. In the Free State and North West, they aimed to kill the Ace Magashule and Supra Mahumapelo legacies, while ANC structures barely existed in the Western Cape.