Presidential hopeful and former health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Saturday went on a campaign trail in KwaNyuswa, on the outskirts of Durban where he received an endorsement from a local ANC structure yesterday.
Mkhize held meetings with traditional leaders, handed food parcels to needy families and addressed a “Unity and Floods” prayer at the KwaNyuswa sportsground as part of his campaign.
He is said to be planning a campaign challenge to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the party’s national conference in December this year.
During a speech, Mkhize decried the treatment of former president Jacob Zuma and said the unrest occurred because Zuma's arrest was handled badly by leaders.
"The country needs to know the pain we felt because of the abuse of Msholozi.
"We all need to understand the sensitivities that we're involved in the matter of Zuma. They cut very deep to the people of KwaZulu-Natal, that is what caused the outrage of issues.
"As leaders we should admit to our mistakes. We can't be leading all these years in powerful positions and then turn to say there were nine wasted years. It was the ANC all this time so we need to admit to the mistakes that may have happened."
He spoke out against Luthuli House’s implementation of the step-aside resolution, saying the new rules were being used to target certain factions.
"If you have an organization that tries to deal with corruption and image and you have a sense of factions and cabals within the organisation you won't be able to put out a clear message that it's the ANC that is unhappy with your behavior.
"You create an impression that there's a particular faction applying rules differently to those who are in the other faction. If you don't get rid of those sentiments you are undermining the ANC’s ability to manage serious challenges that bring ANC into disrepute.
"When we talk about fighting corruption, there is no way you can fight corruption if you have factionalised leadership. When you fight corruption and improve the lives of people, people don't see themselves as being meted with the same treatment in the whole organisation. We need to make it clear — whether dealing with corruption or misbehavior or anybody who's charged— that it's the ANC that's not happy with it, not a particular faction," said Mkhize.
As leaders we should admit to our mistakes. We can't be leading all these years in powerful positions and then turn to say there were nine wasted years
Mphakanyiswa Gwala, the Blessing Ninela Zonal chairperson, said they chose Mkhize because they are confident he will bridge the inequalities in the country.
"We, as the five branches in the Blessing Ninela zone sat down and discussed a few grievances and we realised that poverty is the root of all our challenges. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor,” he said.
"We then decided that Khabazela is the only one who can address that. We know, from when he was a premier, how he bridged the gap between the haves and the have-nots.”
He said they were confident that they would have the necessary support to put the former ANC treasurer-general back at Luthuli House.
This is a second local structure in the eThekwini region to endorse Mkhize. A few months ago Ward 1, which is one of the biggest ANC branches also announced Mkhize as its candidate.
For Mkhize to make it in the ballot paper, he will need a nomination from a province. If that fails, his name will have to be raised from the floor and be seconded by at least 25% of delegates.
KwaZulu-Natal will hold a provincial conference next weekend, where Mkhize’s supporters hope finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube will defeat incumbent provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala.
PODCAST | Zweli Mkhize’s dangerous tribalistic approach to winning the ANC presidency
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.