Image of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma speaking in front of a mic File Picture: Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma. Picture: Supplied.
Durban - ANC national executive committee member and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has not ruled herself out of the running for ANC president, saying that the party’s branches still have to make that decision.
Dlamini Zuma was speaking yesterday at a renaming ceremony at Windy Heights Primary School in Isipingo, south of Durban.
Her name was not included earlier this week when the KwaZulu-Natal ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) announced its list of top six candidates as nominated by the branches.
This list has former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize nominated for president, Paul Mashatile as deputy, the national chairperson nomination is Stanley Mathabatha, Phumulo Masualle, the former Eastern Cape provincial chairperson, was nominated as secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane as deputy secretary-general, while the treasurer-general has yet to be determined.
The KZN PEC recommended that the treasurer-general position should be reserved for a young and energetic woman.
Former president Jacob Zuma, prior to the KZN PEC announcement, appeared to endorse Dlamini Zuma for president of the party, saying: “The candidate that we supported in 2017 at the 54th national conference remains the most capable to lead the ANC, given her track record in the movement and government, leadership capabilities and qualities and her understanding and knowledge of the ANC, among others.”
Dlamini Zuma said she had no issues with the KZN ANC leaving her out of their nomination list as this was part of the democratic processes of the party.
“The branches will say what they want, the regional executive committees and PECs will say what they want, but at the end of the day whatever the branches say, we will accept.
“If the final word was left to the provinces, then the branches would not need to sit. The national conference in December is a conference of branches. I respect the leadership of all the provinces, but the final word will come from the branches,” she said.
Earlier yesterday, the ANC said it would be extending the deadline for branches to nominate the leaders of its national executive committee from Sunday to October 25, citing a number of issues that had led to delays in the holding of meetings.
Party treasurer-general Mashatile, who is also the acting secretary-general, wrote to the chairperson of the party’s electoral committee, Kgalema Motlanthe, and said some branches had not held meetings because of load shedding, industrial action by ANC staff and other issues.
Dlamini Zuma said many branches still had to meet and have an opportunity to decide on their leadership preferences.
Zuma’s daughter, Dudu Zuma-Sambudla, seemed to agree with Dlamini Zuma.
Writing on Twitter, Zuma-Sambudla said: “I can’t wait for the BGMs (branch general meetings) to conclude their business this weekend and for the PGCs (provincial general councils) to sit thereafter and pronounce the mandate of the branches.”
Earlier, Dlamini Zuma told the audience that the country was rife with inequality, but education and skills development were the fastest equalisers.
She said it was important to learn from countries like China that had made significant strides in bringing equality to people’s lives.
“China globally is number one in lifting people out of poverty. Even the UN has acknowledged that they have contributed to the global decline in poverty because of how they have improved equality.
“We need to learn from them, what are the building blocks and what have they put in place. The main part of their achievement was agriculture,” Dlamini Zuma said, adding that any self-respecting nation must be able to feed itself.
“We must consume what we produce. Universal health care is also essential if we have to make gains in the fight against poverty. Many families are reduced to poverty because the main breadwinner falls ill and does not have access to the health care needed.”
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