Left: Jeff Radebe, the convener of the newly appointed ANC provincial executive committee in KwaZulu-Natal, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula and Mike Mabuyakhulu, provincial coordinator. Picture: Sibonelo Ngcobo.
The convener of the reconfigured ANC provincial executive committee in KwaZulu-Natal, Jeff Radebe, has vowed to return the party to its former glory.
The previous committee had been disbanded following the party’s poor performance at the May 2024 general polls, where it managed to get 17% of the votes.
Radebe and his team of 67 expanded provincial executive committee (PEC) members were formally introduced by the party’s Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday afternoon. Radebe was unveiled to the public together with five other officials who will make up the top six structure.
His deputy is former Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi whose role is the first deputy convener while Siboniso Duma, the former provincial chairperson, will take up the second deputy convener's position. Mike Mabuyakhulu made a strong political comeback, taking the coordinator position, which is equivalent to the provincial secretary, a position that was previously held by Bheki Mtolo.
Another notable political comeback was that of former Premier Nomusa Dube who will deputise Mabuyakhulu.
Current Health MEC and former deputy provincial chairperson Nomagugu Simelane was appointed as the party’s provincial fund raiser. Politically, this is the position of treasurer, which was previously held by Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba who has been dropped together with Mtolo and Sipho Hlomuka, who was previously deputy secretary. Another notable change was the ousting of the provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele who was replaced by the little known Fanle Sibisi.
Speaking to the media, Radebe announced that his team will hit the ground running, starting with their first meeting as the top six officials on Tuesday afternoon as they prepare for their PEC meeting on Monday. Radebe also vowed that his team will draw up a strategic battle plan.
“First I wish to thank the national leadership of my party for entrusting me with the task of reviving the party in the province. We are going to win. We are going to revive the party and bring it back to its glory days. We have been given a clear mandate and we fully understand it," said Radebe.
On whether the new leadership will remove the deployed members in the provincial legislature, Mabuyakhulu dismissed the assertion, saying instead the provincial task team will give full support to the deployed ANC members in the provincial cabinet but will support the entire cabinet that constitutes the Government of Provincial Unity.
Introducing the top six structure, Mbalula earlier said the PEC has six months to complete the audit of branches, adding the party wanted to know whether branches still exist or if there are members of the party who remained but worked for other political parties.
Mbalula vowed to act swiftly if there were regions or branches that had such problems.
The new leadership is expected to hold power until the next provincial elective conference which could take place before or after next year’s local government elections.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za
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