ANC in-fighting turns ugly
An unsanctioned ‘cabinet reshuffle’ in the Northern Cape was done to make sure president Jacob Zuma and his supporters secure a victory for their preferred candidate at the party’s elective conference at the end of the year.
This was the message from the ANC Northern Cape provincial secretary Zamani Saul, who has lambasted the province’s premier, Sylvia Lucas, for purging her cabinet and replacing them with loyalists on the eve of the province’s elective conference.
Lucas dismissed finance, economic development and tourism MEC Mac Jack and transport and safety and liaison MEC Pauline Williams – two people who were seen as ‘political opponents’ in the province.
In statement issued late on Wednesday following the purge, Saul expressed outrage at Lucas’ actions, saying that it was done in total disregard of the ANC internal processes, which require thorough consultation with both the ANC and the alliance partners.
He made it explicitly clear that the move was to be viewed as a purely political one, with the intended goal to ultimately affect the outcome of the party’s elective conference being held on Thursday (11 May).
Saul and Lucas are going up against each other, with both vying for the role of chairperson of the province.
“We want to put it on record that the reshuffling has got nothing to do with improving service delivery but has everything to do with influencing the outcome of the conference,” Saul said.
“This is grossly irresponsible, reckless and self-serving. This tact is fallacious and deeply entangles the provincial government in the organisational politics of the ANC.”
Cosatu Provincial Secretary Anele Gxoyiya concurred with Saul, saying that the reshuffling was not based on strengthening cabinet or due to the incompetence of the MEC’s.
“Instead it was motivated by selecting cabinet members who are perceived to be loyal to her. The decision was not sanctioned by the alliance partners,” he said.
The timing of the move has raised many eyebrows among political analysts, who note that members who are elected now and in the coming months, will ultimately be the ones who will determine who will lead the ANC in December.
At the core, the provincial battle is part of the bigger factionalism battle within the ANC, analysts noted.
Saul has openly declared his support for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to take over from President Jacob Zuma in December, while Lucas is expected to back former AU chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who has been endorsed by the ANC Women’s League.
Loading ...