DESPITE the ANC’s Youth League and Women’s League making their views public as to who they would like to see emerging as the leader of the ANC at the December national conference, Provincial Chairperson Sihle Zikalala remains diplomatic about the issue.
In his closing address to the Provincial General Council (PGC) last weekend at the University of Zululand, Zikalala said his party would first lobby other provinces about the election of the new party leadership.
‘We will intensify engagements with other provinces, so that when we elect the new leadership, it must comprise leaders coming from all sides of the movement.
‘We are unanimous in our view that there can be no progress without a strong and united ANC.
‘We don’t subscribe to the notion that the election of a Deputy President implies that the comrade is automatically ordained to be a successor to the incumbent,’ he said, without mentioning Cyril Ramaphosa by name.
KZN has been known to back former AU Chairperson Dr Nkosazana-Dlamini-Zuma, who also attended the PGC.
‘Our view is that the leadership must be chosen on the strength of quality and not the positions they hold,’ Zikalala said.
‘As we march to the policy conference, we will advocate, in addition to other NEC members to be full-time, for an amendment of the Constitution to accommodate two Deputy Secretaries General, one responsible for monitoring, evaluation and research, and another for organisational building and campaigns.’
On the land issue, Zikalala said his party was firm and unanimous on the importance of land redistribution without compensation.
‘This is a very sensitive matter. We are also unanimous on the necessity to advance radical economic transformation. In this, the year of Oliver Tambo, we will be in the frontline to advance and defend the unity of our movement.’
