A decision by former head of state Jacob Zuma to lobby branches to revolt and not adopt any reports during the ANC elective conference is self-serving and a reflection of a leader who has lost political strategy.
This is the view of KwaZulu-Natal-based political analyst Xolani Dube, who told Sunday World on Thursday that Zuma should instead use his energy to challenge the neo-liberal policies that his party has embraced over the years.
“Zuma himself is a problem. Nothing will happen, the conference will go ahead as planned because any disruption or chaos will be a win for [President Cyril] Ramaphosa,” said Dube.
“If Zuma was saying he is lobbying branches to challenge the mineral energy complex during the party’s elective conference, it would be something that I’m prepared to listen to. This is what has caused the suffering and poverty that confronts black people today.”
The mineral energy complex refers to institutions and industries that have developed around the mining and financial sectors of the South African economy.
Dube was reacting to a scathing attack launched by Zuma during an ANC regional political lecture in eMacambini, a village under Mandeni local municipality in the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.
Zuma pulled no punches, pleading with ANC branches not to adopt both the organisational and political reports to be delivered by acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile and party president Ramaphosa, respectively.
“It is confusing because everyone is complaining about the state of the economy and loadshedding, and when there is an opportunity to choose another leader, they still choose this one,” charged Zuma, calling for Ramaphosa to fall on his sword regarding what has become known as the Phala Phala farmgate.
He added that the ANC president should not be allowed to address party delegates at the elective conference to be held at the Nasrec Expo Centre near Soweto from December 16-20. The former president failed in his bid to be nominated as the national chairperson, with KwaZulu-Natal leading the pack in rejecting his candidacy.
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