Africa-Press – South-Africa. While being confident that Zweli Mkhize will triumph over incumbent ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Siboniso Duma was adamant that his province’s delegates would not disrupt the party’s conference again.
Duma told News24 that Mkhize would get support from beyond his home province of KwaZulu-Natal, and that there was “fertile ground” among “comrades” for his election.
On Friday, the ANC’s 55th elective conference got off to a rowdy start as delegates from KwaZulu-Natal sang for change and heckled Ramaphosa as he delivered his political report.
Duma eventually calmed them down, and Ramaphosa concluded his speech in just over two hours, without further interruptions.
“We must condemn the issue of hooliganism,” Duma told News24 on Saturday morning.
“We ought to understand the cultural practices of the ANC, that you respect the leader. If you are a member and you are in the plenary, you must follow all the rules.”
He said there had been no provincial executive committee member present when the plenary started, as they were not yet accredited, and that all regional secretaries had been stuck in the registration venue.
“So it was a suicidal move from national to start without everyone being accredited.”
Duma was adamant that it wouldn’t happen again.
“We’ve spoken to them,” he said, adding that a repeat performance could lead to the suspension of delegates.
“In the plenary, there are rules. If you want to speak, raise your hand, then you will be recognised. You will [be] given a platform. You can’t be chaotic.”
Duma criticised ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe’s handling of the situation.
“He thought that bully tactics would advance his space. It didn’t.
“Today [Saturday], we’ll have a smooth conference after the adoption of the credentials.”
Former president Jacob Zuma, who previously called on delegates not to allow Ramaphosa to deliver the political report, entered soon after the president started speaking, adding fuel to the rowdy KwaZulu-Natal delegates’ fire.
According to Duma, Zuma isn’t just an ordinary delegate, he is a former president, so it is expected that his arrival would cause a stir.
He added that the current national executive committee had not served the party’s branches, and that the majority of delegates were young people.
“So it means that they want change. It means that they are also suffering [because of] unemployment, inequality. So they would want to manifest it in the process of the conference.”
Duma said the energy crisis was also causing suffering,
According to the KwaZulu-Natal leader, there is “fertile ground” for Mkhize’s election.
“Comrades are comfortable that his leadership and collective might take the ANC on a greater path.”
The ANC had to transition from political power to economic power in order “to own the means of production”, he added.
“The economy must transform and favour Africans, and blacks in particular, who must benefit out of this process.
“Comrade Zweli Mkhize will close the conference,” he said. The incoming party president usually closes the conference.
Duma said he was very confident of this, as it was not only KwaZulu-Natal that would be supporting Mkhize.
“The majority of comrades think that he is the right leader to take the ANC forward.”
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