By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
As the ANC fine tunes its election strategy, its leadership is troubled by the absence of its former presidents and deputy presidents in recent campaigns.
Its biggest headache is Jacob Zuma, who is crisscrossing the country campaigning for uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party while still claiming to be a member of the ANC.
Zuma’s strategy is to confuse voters and create an impression that one might still like the ANC but it would be OK to vote for the MK as well.
He has told thousands of supporters that the MK is designed to help the ANC find its moral compass and put the people first.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has withdrawn into his shell of indecisiveness and has not taken a decision on what to do with Zuma, who has gone rogue.
If anything, the ANC top brass has sent mixed messages in recent weeks, further confusing its rank and file.
Party secretary general Fikile Mbalula said Zuma has already expelled himself, adding that there was no point in disciplining someone who was already no longer a member of the ANC.
Gwede Mantashe, the national chairperson of the ANC, openly differed with Mbalula and said Zuma will be hauled before the ANC disciplinary committee after the national general elections.
Mantashe warned that expelling Zuma in the middle of an election campaign could disrupt the ANC’s programme and fuel Zuma’s cause.
In a meeting of the party’s 87-member national executive committee, the majority of the members proposed that Zuma should be shown the door.
In recent months, the ruling party has been battling to get former president Thabo Mbeki to lead some of its campaigns.
Former president Kgalema Motlanthe and former deputy presidents Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Baleka Mbete also failed to attend the party’s 112th birthday celebrations.
Numerous leaders like former finance ministers Trevor Manuel and Tito Mboweni are also watching from the sidelines.
As Ramaphosa’s popularity takes a knock, Mbeki has emerged as the most popular leader in the ANC.
However, Mbeki is on record saying he could not convince himself to campaign for an ANC that puts corrupt people and criminals in leadership positions.
At the height of its popularity in 2004 when the ANC won the elections by 69,69% of the vote, Mbeki was leading from the front.
After that campaign, the ANC won KwaZulu-Natal, ending a decade of IFP rule in the province.
A resurgent IFP, with a coalition of opposition parties, has launched a major campaign to unseat the ANC in KZN.
Pictured above: Will Thabo Mbeki campaign for the ANC?
Image Source: X
