The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal is determined to regain the support it lost to former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK party) in the recent general election. The party acknowledges that its branches in the province were weak, leading to a significant decrease in support.
To address this issue, an ANC team led by head of presidency Sibongile Besani, comprising party veterans like former KZN premier Sibusiso Ndebele and former ANC provincial deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu, has been working on rebuilding branches through political education. ANC provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma, along with his leadership team, recently met with President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss the organization’s renewal program and the progress being made in rebuilding branches.
The focus is on cadreship and ideological development, aiming to realign members with the foundational values of the ANC and prioritize collective goals over individual interests. Statistics from the Electoral Commission of South Africa revealed that a significant number of ANC supporters in Msunduzi and eThekwini voted for the MK Party in the previous election, prompting the need for intensive renewal efforts in these areas.
Despite calls for the removal of Duma and the current provincial executive committee (PEC), the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) is yet to make a decision on their future. Rumors suggesting that the ANC national working committee (NWC) members could assume the PEC’s responsibilities have been dismissed by the ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele.
The efforts to win back support in KZN continue, with Duma scheduled to deliver the party’s renewal lecture at the Pietermaritzburg City Hall. The ANC remains committed to rebuilding its presence in the province and addressing the challenges that led to the loss of support in the previous election.
This article was originally published by The Witness and highlights the ongoing efforts of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal to strengthen its branches and regain the trust of its supporters.
