In an attempt to try to contain and avert what various analysts call a “Zuma Tsunami”, the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) has reinforced its number of deployees in KwaZulu-Natal to try to sway voters into keeping the party in power in the province.
According to an insider, the ANC decided to reinforce its NEC deployees to KZN to campaign for the party as some believed that they were on the verge of losing the province.
The party was showing signs of panic, as whichever political party wins the province stands to garner at least 20% of the seats in the National Assembly.
The formation of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has proven to be a serious contender for the ANC, especially in KZN, as the party has managed to campaign in every part of KZN without bussing in supporters from other provinces.
The party held its first meeting of its deployees along with the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) on Monday at Seme House led by Zizi Kodwa.
The aim of the meeting was to introduce the newly deployed NEC members to the provincial officials.
Among high-ranking NEC deployees were Mike Mabuyakhulu, Sbu Ndebele, Zweli Mkhize, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and former provincial secretary Sipho Gcabashe.
However, the party’s spokesperson in the province, Mafika Mndebele, said it was a known fact that the party would deploy more NEC members in the province.
“We have long received a list of deployees in the province. This is nothing new. We are running our normal campaign as the ANC without any fear,” added Mndebele.
During the party’s Mayihlome rally, provincial chairperson Siboniso Duma said the formation of MK meant nothing to the governing party.
Duma said as the province they were concerned about the establishment of the MK Party by former president Jacob Zuma. He, however, said that they were not having sleepless nights over it.
“I am sure Zuma understands himself that when you attack the ANC it does close ranks. It happened during his era as well. During Madiba’s time the polls said the ANC would not perform, but it performed very good. Even today the polls are still saying we would not perform well, but the ANC is still in touch with the people on the ground,” he said.
Earlier in the month, political commentator and Activists and Citizen Forum spokesperson Dennis Bloem described the emergence of MK Party as exciting, saying it had the possibility of harming the governing party in a big way.
Bloem said the MK Party was a big threat to the ANC as it was very clear that Zuma would take a big chunk of the party’s support in the coming elections.
He further said he was confident that the ANC was shivering every time they saw the big numbers the MK Party was pulling at their rallies, because it knew that some of the supporters were their members.
The Star
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