On the eve of the all-important KwaZulu-Natal ANC provincial conference nine of the 11 KwaZulu-Natal regions in the province say they want to elect a new provincial leadership that will pronounce former health minister Zweli Mkhize as their party presidential candidate.
Business Day spoke to various leaders in the nine regions, including eThekwini, which wants Mkhize to run against Cyril Ramaphosa at the ANC’s internal leadership contest in December.
The eThekwini region, with more than 100,000 members, is the province’s largest. KwaZulu-Natal is the ANC’s largest province and its support is crucial to candidates who want to be elected to the party’s top structures.
Mkhize — a former premier of the province — is facing allegations of corruption in the Digital Vibes saga. He was also proposed as a presidential candidate in 2017, but failed to muster majority support among branches.
Clearing his name ahead of the national conference is critical to Mkhize’s political ambitions as the ANC’s new regulations for leadership bar members who are facing criminal charges from being nominated or standing for leadership positions.
He has yet to publicly confirm whether he will stand against Ramaphosa, who is vying for a second term in office.
“We are aware of the branches’ and other regions’ choice of the name of Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize as the preferred choice for the next ANC president. For now, our focus is on the provincial conference, and we are awaiting the official processes before we place the preferred presidential candidate’s name on the table,” said ANC eThekwini spokesperson Mondli Mkhize.
“Our view is clear: we are rallying behind Zweli as ANC presidential candidate [and] we are aware of a political agenda of silencing him through investigations but we remain resolute, in SA you are innocent until proven guilty by the court of law,” said Bheka Dlamini, deputy chair in the General Gizenga Mpanza region.
Speaking to Business Day on Tuesday, Mkhize said he appreciated the support he has received. But it would not be appropriate to dwell on the calls for his candidacy as there are processes for the party to deal with leadership issues.
The critical matter on the table is the weekend’s conference and the desired outcome of a strong provincial leadership that will help to rebuild the ANC in the region, he said.
“We are going into a very important provincial conference this weekend and the outcome will not only impact on the ANC in the region, but also for the rest of the country.
“I have spent the past few months talking at various structures and formations, talking to leaders in the regions and giving advice as to how we can unite the party and heal the divisions.”
While he has not been criminally charged yet over a R150m communications contract the department of health awarded to Digital Vibes, he was implicated by the corruption-busting Special Investigating Unit (SIU) in October. He has launched a review application against its report.
“I maintain my innocence in that I gained nothing financially nor was there interference by myself into the awarding of the contract or any direct financial benefit.”
His legal representatives have challenged the SIU to provide the recordings of one of the witnesses “on certain matters”, he said. “My lawyers continue to challenge the SIU on this and the SIU report being set aside.”
The SIU’s report in 2021 found that the department irregularly awarded the R150m contract to Digital Vibes, a communications company linked to Mkhize’s associates, from which family members are said to have benefited.
The department’s internal disciplinary process in the Digital Vibes matter found that three officials, suspended spokesperson Popo Maja, deputy director-general of health regulation and compliance Anban Pillay and Shireen Pardesi had been negligent in the irregular award of the contract.
Mkhize resigned in August 2021, just hours before Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet, replacing him with Joe Phaahla.
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