ohannesburg – Respected businessman and AmaZulu football club owner Sandile Zungu will not enter the KwaZulu-Natal ANC leadership race if he is not likely to emerge victorious.
“I never play to lose. I only play to win. If I win it will be for the sole intention of not messing up and risk ruining my reputation,” said Zungu in an interview with Sunday World.
Zungu, who received the nod from several ANC structures in the province to contest the position of chairperson in the upcoming provincial elective conference, said he was in consultation with several people before raising his hand.
“I’m engaged in quite an extensive consultation process. I’m speaking to my family, business leaders and my church leadership at the Salvation Army to seek their counsel. I am also consulting other ANC leaders who have led the province,” Zungu said.
Consulting Zuma and other ANC stalwarts
Among the leaders that the 55-year-old Zungu is consulting are former president Jacob Zuma, former health minister Zweli Mkhize, former KwaZulu-Natal premier now South African ambassador to India Sibusiso Ndebele, former provincial MEC for Economic Development and Tourism Mike Mabuyakhulu, and former KwaZulu-Natal premier and now chairperson of the provincial planning commission Willies Mchunu.
Zungu’s name is the latest to have been thrown into the hat of those vying for the political head of the province, with several names already being touted as potential candidates. Some of the other names that have emerged include Finance MEC Nomusa Dube, Transport MEC Peggy Nkonyeni and eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
These developments throw a spanner in the works regarding the political future of current Premier Sihle Zikalala, who is understood to harbour ambitions of re-election as provincial chairperson. Zikalala is, however, facing a tough time in office, and his popularity has dwindled among the ANC structures in the province, with the so-called radical economic transformation (RET) faction accusing him of cozying up to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Zungu believes he has the credentials to lead the ANC in the province. He points out that he has previously led in the lower structures of the ANC.
“I’m an ANC member in good standing in Umlazi ward 81, also known as Fox Nkwanyana branch. So, I’m not a Johnny-come-lately. I’ve been involved in political activism. I was a branch secretary in what was known as the Moses Mabhida branch. When I settled in Johannesburg, I served two terms as secretary of Rivonia Hills,” Zungu said.
Premiership not on the menu
Zungu nullified sentiments that he is eyeing the KwaZulu-Natal premiership, and therefore the chairmanship position brings him closer to that end goal.
“I don’t want to appear to be fixated about certain positions. I was approached on the basis of becoming a chairperson, nothing else. My sole mission will be to arrest the ANC’s electoral decline… because at the rate the party is going, it might find itself on the opposition benches in 2024,” he said.
Zungu also said he is approaching the world of politics cautiously.
“It is not easy for someone doing well in business to suddenly expose himself to politics, which is full of mudslinging and killings of political leaders,” said Zungu.
Zungu declined to disclose the ANC structures that approached. He however conceded he will be relying on the backing of the eThekwini region. The region is the biggest voting bloc of the ANC in the province.
Zungu holds a BSc in mechanical engineering from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from UCT Business School. He recently completed a tenure as the president of the Black Business Council. His tenure was marked by his call for the transfer of 70% ownership of South Africa’s economy to blacks by 2030.
Political analyst Bheki Mngomezulu said the odds favoured Zungu, noting that his ascendancy to the political office will depend on whether he garners enough branches to contest elections.
Preference for business leaders
“Anything is possible because the trend shows that people are shifting away from voting for politicians because of a trust deficit. Instead, they prefer business leaders because they are known to be ethical. These are the likes of Herman Mashaba and eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla for a few exapmples.
“Mavundla at some stage when he was mayor of uMvoti municipality, donated his salary to poor households. What will also boost his campaign is that he is not aligned to any faction,” he said.
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