Political analysts have cast doubt that the newly appointed interim ANC leaders in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal to revive the depleted organisation will succeed.
By Wednesday afternoon, the ANC had not confirmed Amos Masondo and Jeff Radebe as the party members who will lead the reconfigured Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive committees.
These two seniors, however, have reportedly been called upon to spearhead the organization's revival in these provinces. It appears that Masondo and Hope Papo will be the leaders of the Gauteng ANC, with Panyaza Lesufi serving as the co-convener. Radebe has been partnered with Siboniso Duma as KZN conveners, with Mike Mabuyakhulu serving as coordinator, which is the equivalent of secretary.
Notably, Bheki Mtolo, who was provincial secretary, Sipho Hlomuka, deputy secretary and Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba, treasurer, are likely to remain as ordinary provincial executive committee members with no specific leadership role.
Weighing in on the supposed appointment, veteran political analyst Professor Susan Booysen said as much as she respected the chosen ANC members for their experience, she was not convinced that they would succeed in reviving the organisation back to its glory ahead of 2026 local government elections.
She cited the cancer of factionalism that has besieged the party for years, arguing that their work can be hindered by those who may view them as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s loyalists.
Booysen also said Radebe and Mabuyakhulu may have been ideal candidates for the ANC national leadership to choose in a province full of former Jacob Zuma sympathisers since they have never been close to him.
Nelson Mandela Bay university-based Professor Bheki Mngomezulu concurred with Booysen, saying reviving a depleted party ANC will take time if it will ever happen.
He said the problem that the new appointed leaders will encounter will be acceptability by the removed leaders, which he said will not be possible in a factionalism ravaged party like the ANC.
Mngomezulu said it was a well known fact that Radebe and Mabuyakhulu were on Ramaphosa’s side which may prove difficult for them to convince former Jacob Zuma loyalists.
Another problem Mngomezulu picked up was the party’s decision to only act against two provinces whereas results showed that it dipped in all provinces when compared to 2019 general elections results.
He said this may cause tensions among the supporters of the deposed leaders asking why only their provinces, not the Western Cape, which performed badly than them.
Furthermore, he said the ANC did not deal with the problems caused by the national government which may have also led to loss of votes in the two provinces.
“I doubt that these changes will assist the party to regain the lost ground in these provinces. I really don’t think the ANC applied its mind correctly here. For me, that is not the correct way. I think the party could have looked at its performance nationally since no province recorded an increase in last year’s elections,” said Mngomezulu.