Clock is ticking for ANC to deal with the political mess in Mpumalanga

The enigmatisation of the ANC conference in Mpumalanga is a cause for serious concern. The incessant and perpetual postponement is an attestation of the reign of Gestapo tactics, writes Benzi Ka-Soko

The holding of the ANC provincial conference in Mpumalanga has been placed in an enigmatisation mode through the multiple and perpetual postponements that have been ordered by the powers-that-be in the ANC either at Luthuli House, January "Che" Masilela House and or outside these political jurisdictions.

It is now an open secret that former chairperson DD Mabuza is supporting the candidacy of Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane to take over the political reigns of the ANC Mpumalanga – an act that has obviously angered many in the ANC circles including some of his former political lieutenants.

Current acting chairperson Mandla Ndlovu has been known as a political protégé of Mabuza and a potential heir-apparent after the man known as the Cat was elevated to the position of the second-in-command in the ANC political hierarchy and the country respectively. 

It initially looked like a foregone conclusion to all and sundry that Ndlovu would succeed Mabuza as the commander of the ANC forces in the Mpumalanga province, but that conclusion is no longer a reality. 

There seems to be the new Winds of Change as the members say and sing in chorus Zizojika Izinto -Things will change.

It is reportedly rumoured that Ndlovu and his brigade have turned against Mabuza.

In fact, there are two or three political slates with different names of people vying for different positions in the ANC provincial executive committee.

The Ndlovu-Chirwa slate is popularly known in the ANC inner circles as the Vru-Pha while the Mtshweni-Tsipane slate is referred to as Ngqi. 

Those supporting Dr David Dube to lead the ANC in the province are popularly known as the DDDD Forces. 

The ANC members have a daunting task of electing corruption-free and morally-upright leaders who can take this province to greater heights. 

Unfortunately, any society deserves its leaders because it is that society that elects those leaders. 

The severally postponed provincial conference will have to decide on electing as ANC Chairperson amongst others, Ndlovu, Mtsweni-Tsipane, Dube, Speedy Mashilo, or any other leader that may emerge from the conference floor.

What about Peter Nyoni, Charles Makola et al?

These are interesting times in the political arena in Mpumalanga – interesting times which are sometimes bordering on comical gymnastics but regrettably with catastrophic repercussions when people lose their lives through physical confrontations.

The differences have escalated to crazy proportions wherein members are assaulting one another in the glare of national television with incredible impunity. 

The recent assault of acting provincial secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali by Ngrayi Ngwenya is a clear attestation of the total collapse of ANC rules, protocols and disciplinary code, thereby turning the organisation into a vehicle for political cannibalism and self-enrichment.

The ANC elective conference in the province has been severally postponed due to the fact that it has been marred by negative campaigning and lobbying, thereby flouting each and every rule of the ANC constitution. 

The conference process has become the victim of Machiavellian manoeuvrings and the employment and utilisation of Gestapo tactics to convince members to vote in a particular factionalised manner. 

Hence I argue that this process leading to the conference has been extremely enigmatised. 

The big question is WHY?

It is very sad that the ANC as a governing party is grappling with the sins of incumbency which seem to be very crippling and devastating on the original values and norms of this great movement of the people that our forebears left for us to protect, nourish, treasure and cherish.

There is a prophetic message that Dr OR Tambo delivered to ANC members in which he opined that the most potent enemy of the ANC is the ANC itself. 

Tambo was a philosopher-extraordinaire and political soothsayer grounded in the people’s struggles for national liberation. 

Ignoring the soothsayer proved to be a fatal mistake for Julius Caesar – he had to pay the highest price.

What he prophesied about decades ago materialises today.

Prophecy is an educator – a really devastating educator if those it is intended for do not heed its realism. It calls for people to cleanse themselves before it materialises. 

Unfortunately, human beings are a stubborn species. 

They always want to literally experience the prophecy with its calamitous consequences. 

The Ark of Noah experience is a perfect attestation to this philosophical disposition. 

If there are political Thomases who disbelieve the occurrence of the prophecy, the list is eternally endless for everyone to see.

The ANC in Mpumalanga is a political mess which must be cleansed as a matter of extreme urgency or else history will judge all its members and leaders very harshly. 

The clock is ticking!!!

The failure to resolve provincial conference matters is a devastating organisational deficiency for the ANC.

The ANC NEC leadership should seize the opportunity and decisively resolve the issues that are bedevilling ANC provincial structures in Mpumalanga and other provinces wherein this challenge has become untenable. 

The goings-on in the ANC provincial structures are scuppering efforts and programs in preparation for the 2021 local government elections.

By this time of the pre-electioneering year, all ANC structures nationally, provincially and locally, should be well-oiled in terms of election readiness.

But alas, the organisation is embroiled in leadership squabbles that border on personality cultism which was entrenched through gatekeeping, factionalism, patronage and javelin politics.

While ANC members are busy sharpening theirs daggers aimed at self-annihilation, the opposition parties are gaining ground and using political persuasion to woo disgruntled citizens especially the urban black middle-class to join them against the ANC which they portray as corruption-infested and therefore kleptocratic.

ANC leaders publicly confessed that the organisation lost a substantial amount of votes as a result of people deciding not to participate in the elections in order to send a clear message of disgruntlement to the ANC. 

It is therefore important for the ANC to resolve the challenges bedevilling its structures in the provinces so that it can have ample time to focus on the 2021 local elections.

The provision of quality services to the people should be the focus of the ANC in order to quell the anger of the people because the infighting has ripple effects in terms of service delivery. 

These shenanigans in the ANC internal structures provide opposition parties with a free lunch to score serious and meaningful political points.

It should be strongly mentioned that the ANC does not have the luxury of time to engage in foolish political gymnastics while claiming to be the leader of society. 

The ANC should be strengthening its organisational machinations to achieve genuine organisational unity and organisational renewal.

Speaking of organisational unity and renewal, the main question arises: Is the ANC involved in rhetoric unity or effective unity? 

This question remains posed to all ANC members.

Perhaps I should pose another important question:  What are you doing as an individual ANC member to encourage unity and renewal? 

Benzi Ka-Soko is a discourse influencer/ independent political analyst

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