By Celani Sikhakhane
The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has officially cut ties with the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal, accusing the ANC’s provincial leadership of being divisive and undermining its alliance partners.
In a letter to ANC KwaZulu-Natal Secretary Bheki Mtolo on Saturday, Sanco KZN Secretary Sizwe Cele claimed the alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) was “fake.”
“Cde Mtolo, it is an open secret that the alliance in KwaZulu-Natal is dysfunctional, thus non-existent. Numerous attempts have been made by all alliance partners, including SACP, Cosatu and Sanco, to have alliance meetings with ANC KZN since last year, 2023. However, nothing has been forthcoming,” Cele said.
Cele explained that frustration led alliance partners to exclude the ANC in a June 2024 media briefing, where they expressed disappointment in the ANC’s leadership.
Sanco members have now decided they will not participate in any ANC-related events or invite ANC leaders to their programmes.
Sanco’s recent troubles escalated when its chairperson, Jacob Zuma, announced plans to vote for the uMkhonto weSizwe Party on 16 December 2023, creating internal divisions.
After Sanco decided to expel Zuma, some members accused leaders of being “sellouts” aiming for top spots on the ANC’s parliamentary list ahead of the general elections on 29 May.
Others speculated that anger arose after Cele and his wife Zinhle Mbatha-Cele were overlooked for positions in the legislature.
ANC KZN spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said the party respects Sanco as an independent organisation and urged alliance leaders to resolve issues privately.
“Sanco is an independent organisation that we fully respect. We are still going to engage as leadership, but Sanco is bigger than an individual and is part of an alliance that was formed way back. Therefore it’s important as leaders to discuss issues internally and avoid airing the alliance’s dirty laundry publicly,” Mndebele said.
Pictured above: Sanco KZN Secretary Sizwe Cele and former Provincial Chairperson Jacob Zuma during their election. Cele has announced Sanco’s split from the ANC.
Source: X
