Durban - The Harry Gwala region’s demand to the ANC’s provincial leadership to have a seat in the top five positions should not be taken lightly.
This is a call the ANC in the province cannot afford to ignore, given how this region in south-western KwaZulu-Natal and the Lower South Coast saved the movement from embarrassment during the local government elections.
Closing the conference on Sunday in Kokstad, newly elected chairperson Zamo Nxumalo said his region would without fail push for a seat in the provincial top five, no less than three members in the provincial executive committee, as well as in the legislature.
Although all the positions Nxumalo was demanding depend on the support the individual member would receive from the branches, he said he could not be faulted for bargaining with the power he had.
Nxumalo said that he would lobby other regions to support his call.
The ANC is not expected to oppose this because the region contributes massively to the party’s votes every time there are elections.
Rumours are that the region wants Kokstad Local Municipality mayor Bheki Mtolo to work full time at Dr Pixley kaSeme House as the provincial secretary after the July conference.
The ANC should be reminded that there is no hung municipality in the Harry Gwala region, nor any that fell to the opposition.
The region retained all four municipalities with a big margin.
In fact, this region and the Lower South Coast region retained all the municipalities under the ANC, while the party lost big time in the northern parts of the province.
Perhaps it was this reason that forced the ANC provincial and national leadership to back down and accede to branches’ demands in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality to appoint Sikhumbuzo Zero Mqadi as mayor after the party’s top brass had recommended Sbusiso Shange.
The Daily News understands that branches bargained with the power they have and reminded the leadership that the party’s stronghold was now on the southern side of the province, and so their voice and power should not be ignored.
Daily News