OLIVE BRANCH: ANC vice-president Paul Mashatil is to hold talks with the Zulu king in a bid to defuse tensions over perceived slights. Photo: OJ Koloti/Gallo Images
ANC deputy leader Paul Mashatile has announced his decision to leave Miszulu after weeks of tension after the party's provincial president Siboniso Duma blocked Prime Minister Thulasizwe Buthelezi, who is traditionally Zulu, from speaking at a government event. He is scheduled to meet with King Kazwelithini.
The state's ANC further strengthened the move by issuing a statement supporting Mr Duma. Mr Duma's actions were seen by his supporters, including the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leadership, as an insult to the Zulu monarch.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa was also present when the incident occurred.
Two senior officials, including a senior ANC official, said Mr Mashatil would probably visit the king next Friday.
Insiders say this is part of the ANC's efforts to repair damage to its relationship with the Zulu monarch and its reputation with the Zulu people.
“During my discussions with the president, I realized that nationally, [ANC leadership] KwaZulu-Natal should intervene because this issue is beyond the control of provincial leaders,” said the National Executive Committee (NEC) member.
The top seven members admitted that the national authorities had deployed their own members in the state.
“Our biggest concern is that if we don't act visibly and recognize that what happened is wrong for the people of KwaZulu-Natal, we will That means we could lose votes.” [in the 29 May election].
“We must do everything possible to take back what we have in KZN,” the NEC member said.
They added that talks with the IFP would not include post-election talks on coalitions. The NEC member added that Mashatile will also meet with the IFP leadership, including President Belenkosi Hlavisa.
“The IFP did what we should have done in that situation. The IFP decided that they were more mature and reasonable in the situation and called for a meeting with the ANC to discuss the matter.
“In normal circumstances, the ANC should have acted that way, but we have made disappointing statements regarding Amavuso’s relationship with the IFP. This is wrong because Amavuso is not inherently an IFP. “I'm there”
“We look forward to that moment. [Mashatile] “Once we meet the king, we will also communicate with the IFP as requested by the IFP,” the official said.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri did not respond to questions.
But Mr Hlavisa told the M&G that the IFP was ignored by Mr Ramaphosa, who did not respond to requests for a meeting to “arrest what happened”.
“If they had sent the vice-president, given that I had written a letter to the ANC president, the polite thing they could have done was acknowledge that letter and “The aim was to give a response indicating what direction they were taking regarding the demands of the Zulu people,” Hlabisa said, adding that the ANC's meeting with the Zulu king was unrelated to the IFP's request. added.
The ANC could lose its majority in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, the two most populous provinces.
These two make up the bulk of the ANC's electorate. In 2021, the ANC received 5.25 million votes, of which more than 2 million came from both provinces. This represents 37.7% of the ANC's national vote.
In 2019, the ANC received just over 10 million votes, of which 4.44 million came from Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, representing 44.3% of the electorate share.
Between 2019 and 2021 alone, the ANC's support in these two provinces declined significantly, with it receiving only 45% of the national vote in 2021.
To limit these potential losses and the growth of Jacob Zuma's Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, the party's national leaders, including Zweli Mkhize, Mike Mabuyakul and S. He sent some of the most popular veterans in the state to campaign. “But Ndebele.
Two senior ANC leaders told the M&G that the Mkhize Group was underused.
In an earlier interview with the M&G, election director Mdumiseni Ntuli admitted the MK party was a threat to the ANC's election results.
Officials say the ANC is exploring a government of national unity as an option in the event of defeat.
This model was used during Nelson Mandela's presidency in the early days of democracy. Insiders said this model – which resulted in the National Party dominating the economic cluster in 1994 – was the most practical way to run the country if the ANC failed to win a majority.
In a recent interview, M&GDA leader John Steenhuisen suggested there was a need to seek a government of national unity.
Mr Hlavisa told the M&G that he followed this idea.
He said the IFP wanted to ensure a blackout of the ANC, but if this failed all options needed to be considered.
Relations between the IFP and party leaders in the state had deteriorated.
“If we cannot get 50% plus one in a multiparty charter, it will be a different story. We cannot afford to leave the country stagnant, so political parties will have to take conscious and sober decisions.” he said.
“The country has to move forward, but we need to think about who we can form a government of national unity with to move the country forward.
“The issue of a unified government in the IFP is not something we can eliminate, but we want to give voters support for a multiparty charter,” Hlavisa said.
In recent years, the ruling party has been the biggest victim of growing support for the IFP in the state. Many critics of late founder Mangosuthu Buthelezi have long predicted that the IFP would not outlast him, but the party has in recent years turned around the electoral slump it suffered from 1994 to 2014. I'm letting you do it.
The party has increased its share of votes in national, state and local polls since 2016, and has also dealt with a succession crisis that forced it to postpone its electoral conference for a decade.
The party won 41 of the 80 seats in parliament in 1994, but dropped to a low of nine seats in 2014, and now has 13 seats. However, the party's growth in 2021 saw it win 41 of the 80 seats in the state assembly. D.A.