Alex Matlala
LIMPOPO – The election of the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) president, Bathabile Dlamini, raised more brouhaha and questions around the existence of tribalism in the ANC, with Limpopo not being exempt from this phenomenon.
Heavy speculation was rife that the election of Dlamini, who is also Social Development Minister, was confirmation that Zulu-speaking cadres dominated the party’s leadership in all spheres. Critics said Dlamini’s election had seen the tripartite alliance between the ANC, the SACP and Cosatu being led by party cadres, all from KZN. Nelson Mandela had warned the party in the mid-1990s that, if unchecked, the ghost of tribalism could haunt the ANC. Mandela, a Xhosa, said his preference was for Cyril Ramaphosa, a Venda, to succeed him but an elective conference elected Thabo Mbeki, a Xhosa, instead. Former ANC Treasurer-General, Mathews Phosa, has spoken out about the thorny issue of tribalism within the party’s ranks. Without mentioning names, Phosa told CV this week that “weak” leaders used tribalism as a means to take positions. “There are many examples all over Africa,” Phosa said.
“When the ANC was founded in 1912, one of its principles was to fight and defeat tribalism, but it seems as if this scourge is going to be with us for a very long time,” he added. Phosa, a former premier of Mpumalanga, vowed that the ANC would not tolerate tribalism in its ranks and added that the party had many forums to deal with the issue. Last month CV reported that tribalism continued to rear its ugly head within the ANC in Limpopo. The ANC’s top five in the province comprises chairperson, Stan Mathabatha, a Pedi, deputy chairperson, Jerry Ndou, a Venda, secretary, Nocks Seabi, a Pedi and Deputy Secretary, Makoma Makhurupetje, a Pedi.
The party is currently waiting for its branches to reach a threshold 70% or more in order to hold a provincial congress. The congress will see the election and replacement of the late party treasurer, Thembi Nwedamutswa, who was also Education MEC in Limpopo. Since her death, two names have done the rounds for the vacant position, namely former Chief Executive Officer for Limpopo Trade Investment, Joe Mathebula, and prominent Limpopo businessman and versatile politician, Danny Msiza. Msiza allegedly enjoys the support of the Pedi-speaking party members while Mathebula has the support of the Tsonga-speaking members. Their election has already taken a tribal card since some branches were involved with tribal wars. It is further said that the Pedis, who are in the majority in the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) and the Provincial Working Committee, wanted to deal with Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure MEC, Jerry Ndou and ANC provincial spokesperson, Khumbuzo Ntshaveni, both Vendas, because they allegedly refused to take mandates from their seniors and questioned issues around deployment of cadres to government jobs.
According to Ntshaveni, the ANC is a non-tribal organisation. She said the party will fight the demon of tribalism whenever it rears its ugly head. She said during the term of office of the current PEC, there had been no complaints of tribalism in branches of the ANC.
Political analyst, Dr Somadoda Fikeni, said tribalism was not solely an ANC issue. “It is a societal challenge that manifests itself in different institutions. It exists in the Afrikaans and English communities too,” Fikeni said.
President Jacob Zuma’s last term as president ends in 2019 and there is already talk about those jostling to succeed him.
