Zuma slams KZN ANC for not supporting Dlamini-Zuma enough

President Jacob Zuma has reportedly reprimanded ANC leaders in KwaZulu-Natal for failing to provide Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma with immense support.

Zuma decided not to attend the Provincial General Council (PGC) at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban because he was said to be so angry with the outcome, reports Sunday Times.

The president expected the province to deliver overwhelming support to his preferred successor so that the former African Union chairperson would be able to close the gap between herself and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

At the moment, Ramaphosa has the backing of five provinces: Limpopo, Gauteng, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Western Cape.

In an unsurprising move, the majority of KwaZulu-Natal branches of the ANC nominated Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as their preferred candidate to lead the party. Dlamini-Zuma was been nominated by 433 branches and Cyril Ramaphosa by 193.

Under the stewardship ofANC provincial chairman Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal has not been shy in voicing its support for Dlamini-Zuma. However, Zikalala denied that Zuma was unsatisfied with the outcome of the nominations.

Yes, we spoke about the … [general council]. To the contrary, he [Zuma] was very impressed with the outcome and with how we have conducted it. He thanked us and congratulated us for holding a successful [general council]. So what they told you is a lie.”

Despite this, another senior KZN ANC member maintained Zuma was not happy, as  “not enough political work” had been carried out in the build-up to general meetings.

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