The African National Congress is expected to announce changes to the leadership of its KwaZulu-Natal provincial task team following a meeting of its national working committee (NWC), which is set to finalise appointments this week after lobbying by provincial leaders.
The Sunday Times understands the NWC agreed during a meeting on Monday to appoint James Nxumalo as provincial coordinator, with Siphile Mdaka as his deputy.
Nomagugu Simelane is expected to remain provincial fundraiser, while Siboniso Duma will continue as deputy provincial coordinator.
Current coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu is set to be appointed convenor, a role previously held by Jeff Radebe, in a move that retains him within the provincial leadership structure.
However, senior party figures said Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Weziwe Thusi are expected to be removed from their positions as deputy provincial coordinator and deputy provincial convenor respectively.
The changes form part of a broader process by the ANC to reconfigure provincial task teams in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Both provinces missed the March 31 deadline to hold elective conferences and will enter the election period without elected leadership structures.
The two provinces have also recorded significant electoral declines. In KwaZulu-Natal, the ANC’s support dropped from 55.4% in 2019 to 17.6% in 2024, while in Gauteng it declined from 53.2% to 36.4%.
The party also lost control of key metropolitan municipalities — including Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni in Gauteng, and eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal — in the 2021 local government elections.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is expected to meet NEC deployees and NWC members overseeing the KwaZulu-Natal process on Wednesday to finalise the leadership and broader composition of the task team.
The Sunday Times previously reported dissatisfaction within the party over the performance of provincial task teams, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal. Speaking at the ANC’s national general council in December, Mbalula criticised the structure, saying it had focused on internal leadership battles instead of rebuilding the organisation.
While the NWC also discussed Gauteng, insiders said further consultations are required before final decisions are taken.
One senior source said the position of Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi as co-convenor had been raised, but no decision was made.
Another source said the NWC supported Lesufi’s recent cabinet reshuffle, rejecting calls for it to be reversed.
The reshuffle included the appointment of Nkululeko Dunga as finance MEC and Vuyiswa Ramokgopa as MEC for economic development, agriculture and rural development. Lebogang Maile was moved to head the education, sports, arts, culture and recreation portfolio.
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