Zuma not being ‘sidelined’ claims ANC provincial chair Duma

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) ANC provincial chair Siboniso Duma is claiming it’s a lie that former president Jacob Zuma was pushed aside from the ANC.

With Zuma being constantly hammered by the leadership of the ANC under President Cyril Ramaphosa, the arms deal corruption case and the losses in the private prosecution matter, Zuma has appeared to be an isolated figure in the party.

But he is still the go-to guy when it comes to campaigning for elections. The ANC in KZN will once again be knocking on his door in Nkandla to help them pull the numbers in when campaigning for the upcoming election.

Lies

However, Duma said it was a lie that Zuma was isolated because he has always been supported.

“There has never been a time where Nxamalala (Zuma) has been rejected by the movement, in particular in KZN.”

“From time to time there will be comrades visiting him. Two weeks ago, he was in iMpendle campaigning for the ANC. He has been working with the South African National Civics Organisation on the ground. He campaigned in Musa Dladla (region), saying there might be problems in the ANC but it’s still home and let’s vote for it,” Duma said.

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He said because Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki are now elders in their communities, they might articulate things the party does not want to hear.

“They are still the machinery of the ANC. When it comes to the issue of elections in KZN, he (Zuma) is seen as an elder and his voice is stronger,” Duma said.

“He’s going to participate, he’s going to work but in terms of energy levels, we just have to structure certain arrangements like meeting amakhosi, pastors, meeting with academia. “So that’s the task he must perform.”

ANC KZN

Regarding whether the KZN ANC has been put on ice following its attempt to oust its president, Ramaphosa, at Nasrec in December by fielding former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize as a candidate, Duma said: “We are part of the unitary ANC. “We are participating, we are in the national executive committee, we are always welcome in the programme of action.

“This is designed by the media strategically so there is antagonism. “We embraced the president after the results at the conference.” Mdumiseni Ntuli, from KwaZulu-Natal, failed in his bid to become the secretary-general after being beaten by Fikile Mbalula.

Dlamini-Zuma

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma was also still facing a disciplinary process after she failed to appear in parliament to vote for former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s impeachment, despite the party warning everyone to attend.

But Duma defended Dlamini Zuma’s actions, saying she was not well at the time. “If you don’t feel OK, you go to the doctor and she was not OK at that time.

“She has already forwarded a doctor’s note,” Duma said. He added they were positive that the ANC would come up tops in the province in the upcoming elections.

“The people are positive. They have told us that, as the ANC, if we can just concretise a plan of delivering water, electricity, roads, ending unemployment and all those things, then people are happy,” Duma said.

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