By Simon Nare
The ANC has taken drastic action and disbanded the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive committees following poor performances in last year’s elections.
A senior party member told Inside Politics late on Tuesday that the provinces would be led by provincial task teams but was not at liberty to provide the names of the senior leaders who would be deployed to the provinces.
The two structures have been a subject of discussions at the party’s national working committee and national executive committee for some time now, with rumours that they would either be disbanded or reconfigured.
An NWC meeting in Cape Town went with disbandment and names of senior party leaders such as former Joburg mayor Amos Masondo and former minister Jeff Radebe were discussed to be the covenors for Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
However, Inside Politics was told the names could not be revealed at this stage as secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was still consulting with the affected members.
“Yes, the SG is consulting with affected people. I am sorry I cannot say much but the provincial chairperson’s role is now being taken over by the convenor PTT,” said the senior member.
Some media reports on Tuesday suggested that both Gauteng chairman Panyaza Lesufi and KZN’s Siboniso Duma have survived the axe and would serve as joint convenors in their respective provinces, while others said the top five would not be accommodated in the task teams.
Both Gauteng and KZN had a planned joint press briefing scheduled for Tuesday late afternoon, but this did not take place and there was no communication why it didn’t take place or whether it was postponed for another date.
Since the poor elections results, Mbalula has been consistent that action will have be taken against the poor performance.
Mbalula has also consistently dismissed rumours that the structures would be disbanded, but rather reconfigured in a move that he said would strengthen the provinces rather than weakening them.
“So, NEC will take a decision and NEC will want to take a decision informed by the engagement… We will tell them what we think. I have seen other people in public making statements to the effect that this is the ANC perspective that informs that disbandment. No, disbandment is not the only option,” Mbalula said at the time.
INSIDE POLITICS
