By Celani Sikhakhane
- KZN ANC demands national leaders explain why party support dropped to 40% in elections.
- Provincial leaders face possible removal as tension grows between the KZN branch and the national leaders.
KZN ANC leaders are pointing fingers at President Cyril Ramaphosa and Secretary General Fikile Mbalula after the party’s support dropped to 40% in the 29 May elections.
KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo told ANC members in the General Gizenga Mpanza Region on Thursday that the national leaders must explain what went wrong.
“Myself and ANC provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma, we accounted for the loss of the ANC in the province. Therefore Ramaphosa and Mbalula with the National Executive Committee should also account for the national loss of the ANC to 40%. In this region, the leadership should also account,” said Mtolo during an ANC political class in KwaDukuza Town Hall yesterday evening.
He praised branches and regions that won despite the challenges and asked them to share their winning formula.
Mtolo was speaking at an ANC meeting after national leaders visited KZN to investigate why the party lost the province it had controlled since taking it from the IFP in 2004.
The blame game has already started. ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe told ANC veteran Pallo Jordan at former Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana’s funeral that former president Jacob Zuma had hurt the party badly in KZN and Gauteng.
He said even the IFP couldn’t survive against Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party. The ANC expelled Zuma from the party last week.
Meanwhile, Mbalula hinted that provinces that lost elections might face new management – which could mean disbanding their leadership.
The ANC is likely to disband the KZN leadership at its next meeting, which has pushed provincial leaders to rebel against the national leadership.
Pictured above: ANC Secretary Bheki Mtolo with ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula during the National Executive Committee visit in KZN.
Source: X
