The much awaited ANC eThekwini regional conference is expected to get under way at the Nkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban this weekend, regional task team co-ordinator Bheki Ntuli said on Monday.
Since 2018 the ANC eThekwini region has been led by the task team after its previous leadership, including chairperson Zandile Gumede, the former eThekwini mayor, was recalled over poor performance.
“We are all set for the conference and are confident that all will go according to plan. I can confirm that eThekwini region has an estimated 100,000 members and 111 branches,” Ntuli said.
eThekwini is the biggest ANC region in the country and plays a deal-breaker role in the party’s provincial and national politics. It is expected to have an influential voice in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference in July and the ANC’s national elective conference in December.
The region is divided into two main factions, one supporting ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and the other former ANC president Jacob Zuma’s camp, part of the radical economic transformation (RET) grouping.
In line with the factions, there are two frontrunners in the race for regional chairperson — former mayor Zandile Gumede for the RET grouping and eThekwini speaker Thabani Nyawose for the Ramaphosa faction. Gumede, who is facing charges of corruption relating to a R320m waste contract when she was mayor, also has the backing of the ANC Women’s league.
Gumede and Nyawose spent the best part of Sunday meeting with branch delegates at two different venues in Durban, in preparation for the weekend election. The strategic session assessed the actual support for the leaders, planned for the election and discussed issues that concern delegates. Both leaders appealed for unity.
ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlankanipo Ntombela confirmed that the two names were being touted at the moment, but said this could change at the conference. “It is difficult to predict who else is on the list. This would be known when the Independent Elections Agency tasked to oversee the elections call for more nominations.”
Friday will be set aside for registration. “The next two days will be dedicated to deliberations and discussions and election of the office bearers will happen on Sunday. There are no doubt robust discussions to be held on critical issues affecting the region.”
Issues include the division in the region and the province, a focus on renewing, rebuilding and reorganising the party in the region to regain the votes lost in the last elections and the assassination of office bearers and investigations by the SA Police Service.
The delegates are also expected to discuss coalition politics in the region.
As a critical player in the province, the region is expected to give guidance on who should be the next provincial premier and the national ANC president.
Party insiders told Business Day that the provincial chairperson race is a possible three-horse race between the MEC for finance Nomusa Dube-Ncube, premier Sihle Zikalala and mayor of eThekwini Mxolisi Kaunda.
“While some believe Zikalala should leave the province he does have some supporters that believe he should be given a second term. Kaunda has the support of former mayor Zandile Gumede and the RET faction and Dube-Ncube has the support of the ANC Women’s League and various business groupings,” said an ANC provincial leader who declined to be named.
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