South Africa: ANC Presidential Contenders to Face Each Other At Zulu Coronation

GCIS / Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Dr Zweli Mkhize and Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in 2013.
28 October 2022
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Lungani Zungu

The momentous coronation of Zulu King Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini will bring contenders for the ANC president position under one roof in Durban on Saturday.

Former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, President Cyril Ramaphosa will all be in Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday as well as former president Jacob Zuma.

Many eyes will be on Ramaphosa and Zuma. The former president has publicly attacked Ramaphosa, saying the Phala Phala scandal amounted to treason.

One person who foresees the event being turned into a turf to fight ANC internal politics is Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the traditional prime minister of the Zulu nation.

"Well... , we know that some of them will want to use this historical event to fight ANC politics ahead of December. Unfortunately, that is something we cannot prevent," said Buthelezi, in a media briefing on Thursday.

Ramaphosa will hand over the certificate of recognition to King Misuzulu and will also deliver his speech.

Political figures like Mkhize and Zuma may likely use the KZN "home ground" advantage to their own benefit.

The ANC contest is heating up now, with less than two months to go to the party's national conference.

Adding to the stakes is that the person who will emerge as ANC president will be next in line to be the president of the country if the party wins the 2024 national elections.

The ANC postponed its deadline for branches to submit their preferred candidates to 7 November due to, among other things, the load shedding that is plaguing the country.

This is after more than 1,000 branches failed to hold successful Branch General Meetings (BGMs).

Into his slate Ramaphosa has roped in prominent ANC figures such as Fikile Mbalula, who is running for the full-time secretary-general position and former KZN premier Senzo Mchunu as deputy president.

Meanwhile, Mkhize, who got the nod from KZN, the ANC's biggest province, in terms of members, has current treasurer-general Paul Mashatile as his running mate, who is deputy president in his slate.

Former president Zuma's campaign to be the next ANC chairperson is struggling to gain momentum.

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