The public show of support for former President Jacob Zuma displayed by delegates at the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal conference over the weekend demonstrates just how different the province is from the rest of the country. The fact that the delegates were singing their hearts out in support of Zuma, when much of the country is livid with him, shows just how separated the provincial party is from the national scene.

This unwavering support for what can only be described as the failed president could come at a cost to the ANC, though. An electoral toll for this support will have to be paid; based on current election trends, that price will be dire even in KZN itself.

The stand-out feature of the beginning of this weekend's KZN ANC conference was the sight and sound of delegates singing the song "Wenzeni uZuma" (often translated as "What did Zuma do?").

After delegates voted, it was obvious that Premier Sihle Zikalala had lost the support of this province in the ANC. The Zuma supporting Sboniso Duma, a member of what's called the "Taliban" faction, won 930 votes and Zikalala received 665.

If anyone needed proof, this clearly showed how strong still is the ANC's...