Mbalula sidelines Duma and Mtolo in new KZN leadership

The ANC has unveiled the KwaZulu-Natal provincial task team that will be led by ANC veteran Jeff Radebe as convener and Mike Mabuyakhulu as co-ordinator.

The 67-member task team takes over the running of KwaZulu-Natal after the party’s national executive committee (NEC) decided to reconfigure the leadership of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

The reconfiguration, which is essentially a disbandment of the provincial executive committee (PEC), followed the ANC’s electoral loss in KwaZulu-Natal last year. The ANC garnered only 17.2% of the vote, to take third place. It is now part of a coalition led by the IFP.

Former provincial chair Siboniso Duma has been demoted to second deputy co-ordinator and former provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo has been removed from top leadership. He will oversee the policy, monitoring and evaluation subcommittee.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said Mtolo would remain in the full employment of the ANC.

“Bheki Mtolo will remain full-time in the ANC until the term that was defined at the time when he was elected as the provincial secretary,” said Mbalula.

Outlining the reasons for the PEC’s disbandment, Mbalula said KwaZulu-Natal was too important a province for the NEC not to intervene.

“The reconfiguration of the provincial leadership is a decisive intervention to reinforce our structures, renew the movement and consolidate our presence in a province that plays a crucial role in the political and economic trajectory of SA,” said Mbalula.

“These provinces [KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng] not only have the largest populations, but also hold significant economic weight, making them critical to the country’s development.”

He said the NEC sought to strengthen the two provinces by bringing in experienced leaders who would oversee renewed commitment to political education, organisational discipline and grassroots mobilisation.

“This approach ensures that the ANC remains the vanguard of progressive change in the province and the country,” said Mbalula.

“After rigorous debate, the NEC resolved that decisive action was imperative and a passive approach was not an approach.”

The task team, Mbalula said, was established as an interim structure to oversee the stabilisation of the organisation, drive political education and revitalise ANC structures across the province.

“Additionally, the PTT [provincial task team] is mandated to revive relations with Amakhosi and faith-based communities, Amabandla, recognising that these institutions played a foundational role in the rebirth and evolution of the ANC,” said Mbalula.

The provincial task team includes Weziwe Thusi as first deputy provincial convener, Nomusa Dube-Ncube as provincial deputy co-ordinator and Nomagugu Simelane as the provincial fundraiser.

The new structure also includes the following heads:

• Nhlakanipho Ntombela, campaign convener;
• Amanda Bani, department of communication, information & publicity convener;
• Zinhle Cele, arts and culture;
• Mina Lesoma, gender and equity;
• Kwazi Mshengu, political education;
• Jomo Sibiya, local government interventions; and
• Sibongiseni Dhlomo, education and health.

Provincial heavyweight Sibusiso Ndebele was appointed convener of international relations.

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