Jacob Zuma has moved to make Tony Yengeni the most powerful person in the MK Party after paving the way for him to take over the reins in future.
This as the party starts the process of amending its constitution to add the position of a second deputy president.
Zuma this month announced Yengeni as the party’s second deputy president in a move that set tongues wagging as the party’s constitution does not provide for that position.
Now the party’s leadership has been instructed to amend the constitution to make allowance for a second deputy president, who would have sweeping organisational powers similar to those enjoyed by Zuma as its leader.
Some of these powers, several sources told the Sunday Times, would either be taken or mirrored from the secretary-general’s office.
This is Zuma’s most significant power move in the leadership of the party since the expulsion of secretary-general Floyd Shivambu.
“As you know, our system at MK is more of a presidential executive system where you can issue a decree on anything. So they want to retain some level of power and influence in the presidency and not to give too much in the SGO [secretary general’s office],” said a high-ranking party official.
This move by Zuma is being seen by senior party leaders as part of his strategy to create a new layer of leadership that will ensure the MK Party survives after he is gone.
They are starting to look at the future, but if Tony starts to do the work now, maybe the old man is doing some succession planning. For me it looks a lot like ... succession management
— MK Party source
“They are starting to look at the future, but if Tony starts to do the work now, maybe the old man is doing some succession planning. For me it looks a lot like ... succession management,” said the source.
“So if they include that in the constitution, it will then remove any sort of conflict or lack of authenticity and authority in Tony’s power in the event something were to happen to Zuma.”
One of Zuma’s allies confirmed that he has essentially identified Yengeni as someone he can trust politically with the running of the party.
“President Zuma said his commitments now and his schedule internationally are growing, so he got hold of comrade Yengeni to be responsible for the political and organisational direction in [his] absence... while [John] Hlophe was reaffirmed as the one who will be responsible for governance and all of that,” this source said.
“Zuma has full confidence in Yengeni. He’s got confidence that he will contribute positively. He’s got full confidence that his political experience is what MK needs, especially as we approach local government elections. So he will be very useful.”
According to the sources, one of Zuma’s reasons for amending the party constitution is to make sure that the presidency has more power than the secretary-general’s office. “So [the presidency] might share powers with the secretary-general or have specific powers but this is to ensure that there is power in the presidency,” one said.
Zuma has also appointed Des van Rooyen as his interim parliamentary leader.
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