Former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who is under investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) for breaching the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), says he is confident the charges against him are unlikely to stand.
“My lawyers are challenging the SIU matter. I would not like to comment further as it is being dealt with at that level. I can confirm that I am a fully fledged member of my party, the ANC, and am focused on helping where I can,” said Mkhize, who resigned as health minister after the Digital Vibes scandal came to the fore.
Insiders close to Mkhize are confident that KwaZulu-Natal will choose him as a contender for the ANC presidency at the elective conference in December.
Apart from receiving the public support of WaXimba, one of the biggest branches in the eThekwini region, Mkhize is also said to enjoy growing support from branches in the eThekwini (Durban) and Musa Dladla (Richards Bay) regions, where the ANC faction close to former president Jacob Zuma and former mayor Zandile Gumede is in the majority. Support for Mkhize in his home region, Moses Mabhida in Pietermaritzburg, is also said to be growing.
“On the matter of the branches supporting me, I would not like to speculate on such matters and would want them to continue with their work,” said Mkhize.
An insider close to Mkhize said: “We know that in 2017 Mkhize did not get the numbers due to various political outcomes. But we are confident that this time around he is getting the support from the branches that were instrumental in securing the position for former president Jacob Zuma in both eThekwini and Musa Dladla regions.”
Early in February a group of religious and traditional leaders visited Mkhize at his home in Pietermaritzburg to make known their intentions to support him. “There were about 50 of us and we prayed with him and said we will support him in whatever his future calling is,” said eThekwini Community Church leader Vusi Dube.
At about the same time, former Moses Mabhida regional chair and ANC provincial executive member (PEC) Alpha Shelembe also declared his support for Mkhize to be elected as party president.
Two weeks ago the AmaZulu regiment, Amabutho, also publicly declared that it would be happy if Mkhize was elected ANC president. On Wednesday PEC member of the Musa Dladla Region, Madanga Xulu, told Business Day: “Yes as an individual I am in support of him as the next ANC president. The region is still to decide on who they support.”
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference is now set for July. “At this stage we do not know the contestants for the provincial leadership because they are nominated by the branches and the process has not started,” said ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela.
Political analyst Protas Madlala said Mkhize has always been the person touted as “presidential material”, but the Digital Vibes saga had shocked many of his supporters.
“Should the SIU matter be cleared then he certainly will be a powerful contender this time around. It says something in KZN when religious leaders and even the Amabutho come out in support of a political leader. I think like Zuma, he too commands a lot of respect in KZN.
“He is unlikely to say upfront if he is running as he always likes to do his work behind the scenes so to speak”.
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