ANC KwaZulu-Natal PTT coordinator James Nxumalo says the reconfigured task team must act fast to rebuild the organisation and prepare for upcoming local government elections after concerns over slow progress.
Image: Fikile Mbalula / X
The SACP’s national leadership says it would not punish any member that campaigns for the ANC in the coming local government elections despite the SACP itself contesting the same elections.
The party was reacting to the appointment of its senior member James Nxumalo to lead the ANC election campaigns in KwaZulu-Natal.
On Wednesday Nxumalo, a former SACP provincial chairperson and eThekwini mayor was unveiled as new provincial coordinator of the ANC in the province by Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula. He was appointed alongside Mike Mabuyakhulu who replaced Jeff Radebe as new provincial convener.
SACP national spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana said the party respects Nxumalo’s decision to accept the ANC appointment and would not punish him or any member of the SACP that would campaign for the ANC, arguing that SACP members are still ANC members.
“We don’t have a problem with Nxumalo or any member of our party taking senior positions and campaigning for the ANC. We understand that people never imagine a member of another party campaigning for another party. What people don’t understand is the uniqueness of the ANC and SACP historical relationship,” said Mandlana
However, a senior member of the SACP in the province, Themba Mthembu contradicted the national leadership’s view. Mthembu questioned the party’s seriousness about winning elections if it does not have problems with its members campaigning for other parties.
“I have never heard such a thing in politics where a political party contesting elections would not have problems with its own members campaigning and voting for other parties. What the national leadership says confirms what we said in the province that the decision to contest the elections outside the ANC was unworkable. I don’t think the party is serious about winning elections that is why some people said the decision to contest elections was to cause the rupture,” said Mthembu.
Speaking after his appointment, Nxumalo said he would not only mobilise ANC supporters but SACP members too to vote for the ANC, saying he was still holding on to the historical principle of SACP members campaigning for the ANC.
“As a new coordinator, my task now is to marshall everyone including SACP members behind the ANC to win municipalities in the province. We are busy putting election machinery in all branches to get them ready for elections. We are busy with councillor candidate nominations which will run until June,” said Nxumalo.
He was paired with Umkhanyakude District Municipality mayor Siphile Mdaka as his deputy.
Cape Times