Durban — With three days to go to the much-anticipated ANC conference in KwaZulu-Natal, aspirant chairperson, businessman Sandile Zungu, has vowed to fight for a review of the party’s controversial step-aside policy, if elected.
In his last push for the all-powerful position, Zungu held a media briefing in Durban on Tuesday where he formally confirmed his acceptance of the nomination, saying he was ready to lead the party in the province. Zungu slammed the step-aside rule and said that although a mechanism was needed to protect the integrity of the party, the policy was being used for factional purposes. He called for its overhaul at the policy conference which is due at the end of the month.
Zungu said during his interaction with branches throughout the province the overwhelming view was that it should be done away with or reviewed, saying the policy would die like the Scorpions at the Polokwane conference, referring to the crime-busting police unit which was replaced by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks. The unit was disbanded by the party’s elective congress in Limpopo in 2007.
“The overwhelming feeling on the ground is that the step-aside rule must be done away with, so if elected as chairperson, I will fight for its review. The policy was used for factional purposes like we saw how the Scorpions were used,” said Zungu.
If elected, he would not want to be the premier, Zungu said, adding that he would not want his name to be included among the three names that the province proposes to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for a decision. Zungu said the appointment of the premier was the prerogative of the NEC, but he would discourage provincial executive members from nominating him among the three candidates as per the rule and process. He wanted to remain outside of government to crisscross the province reviving branches that had been abandoned by the current leadership, he said.
He also proposed a review of the party’s electoral reforms, saying the power should be returned to the branches to end slates. Zungu said current leaders went to the ANC branches and handed over a list of people they should consider for positions.
The AmaZulu FC owner also allayed fears that he would co-run his businesses with politics, saying he had resigned from most of his businesses and allowed his family members to take control of them.
On the branch nominations threshold, Zungu said he was confident that he had met the 25% threshold required for one to stand for the position, saying that even if he had not, he would get it from the floor on voting day on Saturday. In terms of party policy, those members nominated from the floor must get 30% of the voting delegates. The conference takes place at Olive Conference Centre in Durban, from Friday until Sunday.
Daily News