By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
Jacob Zuma’s betrayal of the ANC is beginning to look like the final nail in the coffin of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal.
Already the party has been bleeding support in the province since the removal of Zuma as ANC president.
The party gained thousands of Zulu traditionalists when Zuma, an uneducated commoner and a proud polygamist, ascended to the highest office in the land.
Traditional IFP supporters joined the ANC, helping it completely dominate a province that was previously a close contest between the IFP and the ANC.
The chances of the ANC’s KZN chairperson Siboniso Duma becoming premier of that province were diminished this week with the launch of Jacob Zuma’s Mkhonto Wesizwe political party.
Winning the province against the coalition of the DA and the resurgent IFP of Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi was already going to be difficult for the ANC, even if Zuma had been willing to campaign for the party.
But he has publicly declared he will not campaign for the party, despite the ANC’s KZN leadership approaching Zuma to ask him to do so.
Neither will he vote for it.
“I’m calling on ANC members to vote for the MK party so that we have the majority to change this country and rescue the ANC from the mess it has been put into,” said Zuma in Soweto, announcing his membership of the newly-formed party.
The open betrayal of President Cyril Ramaphosa comes after the Ramaphosa government rescued Zuma from prison after serving just two months of his 15-month jail term.
When the courts ruled that his release had been unlawful, Zuma returned to jail for less than two hours and was released through a presidential remission for nonviolent offenders.
With the ANC leadership in KZN dominated by graduates of the ANC Youth League and largely inexperienced in campaigning, it was hoped that Zuma and former health minister Zweli Mkhize would lead the ruling party’s campaign.
Meanwhile, during the ANC change of guard, the IFP leadership has endeared itself to the Zulu traditionalists. Its founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi helped the Zulu royal family manage the death of King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu and the death of Queen Regent Mantfombi of KwaKhangela Amankengana.
Suddenly a party that was withering and had won just 14.5% of the vote in KZN in the 2019 provincial elections emerged as the real contender for the premiership of the province.
In the 2021 municipal elections, the IFP share of the provincial vote jumped to 24.2%.
It has also won dozens of by-elections and retained most of the 18 hung municipalities.
With its partnership with the DA, there are also signs of improved bookkeeping in previously troubled municipalities.
IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa said the coalition of the IFP and the DA was already polling 49% in the province even before Zuma’s announcement.
“Recent polling puts the IFP and DA on an upward trajectory. Jointly we now poll at 49%, which means that we are only 2% away from achieving a majority to unseat the uncaring ANC in 2024.
“More importantly, we are ahead of the ANC and EFF coalition of corruption which is also polling at 48%.
“We are therefore not only promising change but the numbers speak to this hope,” said Hlabisa.
Pictured above: Siboniso Duma, the ANC candidate for the KwaZulu-Natal premiership.
Image source: X
