The poor performance of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal in the May elections continues to be a matter for debate at the party’s highest decision making body.
The National Executive Committee (NEC), at the weekend, analysed the performance of its structure in KZN in its elections’ organisational report and discussed how poor campaigning and poor relationships with the Zulu monarch and churches affected the ballot outcome.
The party’s support in the province dipped significantly from the 2019 election, where it secured 54.22% of the vote to 17% support at the May 29 ballot.
The NEC also highlighted the poor showing of the ANC in Gauteng, where it went from 53% of the vote in 2019 to 36% in 2024.
A senior party source said that it was unlikely that the KZN or Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) structures would be disbanded as the ANC had now entered a stage where the succession of President Cyril Ramaphosa is being discussed.
“Fikile Mbalula, Paul Mashatile and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi are all being mentioned as contenders, and they would want a structure to be in place so they can start courting them with the (NGC) National General Council next year or the next elective conference in mind.
“There is a feeling that disbanding the KZN leadership will make the situation in the province worse and hand the initiative to the MK party at the local government election in 2026,” the source said.
According to reports, ANC deputy president Paul Mashatile and deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane are resisting moves to disband the party's KZN and Gauteng structures as the NEC continues to debate the matter.
Mashatile said the NEC was likely to reinforce the PECs by roping in strong local leaders in each of the provinces instead of disbanding structures.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said as a matter of principle, they would not comment on an elections organisational report delivered by the national body.
“Our view as the ANC is that we continue to have a good relationship with the Zulu royal family, with different traditional leaders and we continue to have a good relationship with many churches.”
Prior to the election, ANC KZN chairperson Siboniso Duma grabbed a microphone from Zulu traditional minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi at an event where King Misuzulu kaZwelithini and President Cyril Ramaphosa were present.
Mndebele said after the election, Duma met with King Misuzulu and formally apologised for the incident and gave six head of cattle to the king.
“He apologised because we believe that the king is like a father and it is not advisable for any kids to fight in front of their father...then the king accepted this.
“The king went further and spoke in detail with the chairperson (Duma) about his role as an MEC of Transport and pointed out areas where he believed there should be intervention in terms of infrastructure development.”
Mndebele said the ANC in KZN believes it now has a better relationship with the king.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said the ANC was unlikely to dispense with its provincial structures as it has found to its detriment that disbanding a PEC created its own problems.
“The ANC has learned the hard way that it is easy to dispense with structures, but it takes a long time to try to put them together.
“Some are of the view that it is better to try to correct what might be wrong than to go and disband the whole structure.”
Seepe said taking apart a PEC could also lead to a process of contestation to replace provincial leaders.
“The party does not want to further deepen the challenges within the structure and within the province.
“When Ramaphosa came in as president they were in the business of disbanding structures, including the leagues and they paid the price for that,” Seepe said.
The Mercury