Bathabile Dlamini, the former president of the ANC Women’s League, has continued to ignore her biggest former ally – ex-president Jacob Zuma.
Dlamini has strongly supported the ANC during the campaign for the 29 May elections in her home town of Pietermaritzburg.
During his recent campaign tour, she supported ANC former president Thabo Mbeki.
Dlamini was among the senior ANC leaders expected to join the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party led by Zuma.
Zakhele Ndlovu, a political analyst from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, believes that Dlamini, Nomvula “Mama Action” Mokonyane, and former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede might have been threatened if they supported Zuma.
Conversely, they might have been promised posts for turning their backs on the new party.
“Bathabile Dlamini and the likes of Mokonyane and Gumede might have been threatened that they would face investigations over their alleged scandals if they joined MK,” said Ndlovu.
“This is something that might have happened – or they might be promised high-paying posts after elections if they do not join MK.”
Ndlovu said that some who have been with Zuma through thick and thin have decided to remain in the ANC because they understand that MK is still the ANC; only the faction that doesn’t like President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ndlovu believes that others think MK might assist the ANC in forming a coalition government after the elections.
Zuma has shown strong support for Dlamini in the past. She is the former wife of Enoch Mazibuko of the ANC’s Umkhonto Wesizwe Veterans League, which is not part of the MK party.
Dlamini survived many expulsion calls from inside the ANC when she was still the minister of social development under Zuma for the scandals at the South African Social Security Agency.
Dlamini said that people must not be confused but vote for the ANC in the upcoming elections.
She said President Cyril Ramaphosa is the only face of the ANC campaign that should have support.
Pictured above: Bathabile Dlamini snubs former ally Jacob Zuma.
Image source: X
