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I’m not anybody’s plan B – Zweli Mkhize

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Zweli Mkhize. Picture: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
Zweli Mkhize. Picture: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

ANC treasurer-general and presidential hopeful Zweli Mkhize has hit out at those labelling him President Jacob Zuma’s “plan B” in the ANC succession race, saying that he has the experience and capability to lead the ANC in his own right.

Mkhize told City Press that as a matter of principle he was neither Zuma’s pawn nor anti-Zuma in his ANC presidential campaign. His central message was the unity and rebuilding the ANC.

Prior to Mkhize’s open lobby for the presidential office, a contrasting narrative had been that he fell out of favour with Zuma as a result of his intervention during the Nhlanhla Nene debacle in 2015 when Zuma was humiliated and forced to reverse the appointment of Des van Rooyen in favour of Pravin Gordhan to replace Nene as finance minister.

But his backers disagreed, saying that if anything, Mkhize’s firm position a year earlier in 2014 that Zuma should pay something towards the security upgrades in Nkandla was probably the only occasion when they bitterly disagreed.

A late comer in the race to be Zuma’s successor, Mkhize had previously been strongly linked with the lobby for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, but it soon became clear that there was no space for him when he did not feature in Ramaphosa’s #CR17 slate.

He had been punted as a potential deputy to Ramaphosa but the position was last month offered to Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu – who has in turn offered Ramaphosa a deputy position on her slate.

Insiders said that Mkhize’s approach of keeping his cards close to his chest may have frustrated the #CR17 campaign as “he had never shown interest or engaged with him despite being earmarked as his deputy from the beginning”.

This week it emerged that the slate led by former African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, whose candidacy had enjoyed Zuma’s backing, also snubbed Mkhize.

The latest #NDZ17 slate making the rounds punts Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza as deputy president and Free State premier Ace Magashule as secretary-general, deputised by both Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle.

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte appeared as the new chairperson and International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to take over from Mkhize as treasurer-general.

A part of Mkhize’s campaign strategy – similar to Dlamini-Zuma – was to avoid being seen as hostile to Zuma, who still enjoyed a lot of backing within the ANC structures.

A confrontational approach was likely to make it difficult for any successful candidate to win over Zuma loyalists and unite the ANC.

Mkhize’s strong base has been cited as KwaZulu-Natal, with four of the province’s eleven regions expected to back him while another three were promising.

Mkhize said this week: “It must be emphasised that ANC members do not belong to individuals but rather to the organisation.”

He said that “mudslinging, intentional distortion of facts and dirty tricks” should not be employed by anyone to deny ANC branches the “opportunity to freely exercise their choice when it comes to the election of leadership”.

He said the narrative that he was Zuma’s back-up candidate in the event that Dlamini-Zuma floundered was “mischievous and meant to distract us from focusing on the real priority at hand which is to unify and rebuild the ANC”.

“The notion that I am a back-up plan does a great disservice and injustice to my experience and capabilities. I am not anybody’s plan B!”

“I am Zweli Mkhize,” he said, “a member of the ANC who has accepted the call by party structures to avail myself to lead the ANC”.

A plus in Mkhize’s bid was that he had swiftly managed to consolidate provincial chairpersons behind his unity message, including Mabuza and Gauteng’s Paul Mashatile.

Last month, both Mabuza and Mashatile shared the stage in Nelspruit with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Willies Mchunu, North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo and Magashule.

Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha and newly-elected Eastern Cape provincial chair Oscar Mabuyane were also among Mkhize’s targets.

Provincial leaders were key stakeholders in any candidate’s campaign, particularly those who have managed to unite their constituencies behind a single vision.

Mkhize told City Press that ANC members were yearning for unity. “I personally believe in this call for unity, not only for the renewal of the ANC, but to ensure that we rebuild trust with all South Africans,” he said, adding that his commitment to the cause would not be derailed.


Setumo Stone
Political journalist
City Press
p:+27 11 713 9001
w:www.citypress.co.za  e: setumo.stone@citypress.co.za
      
 
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