Durban - Businessman and owner of Amazulu FC, Sandile Zungu, on Tuesday officially threw his hat into the ring as he announced that he would contest for the position of ANC chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal.
Zungu said, if elected, he would push for electoral reform in the party.
“We have been campaigning on the ground, and ordinary members feel disempowered in choosing who should lead them,'' Zungu said.
The businessman, who will challenge incumbent chairperson and Premier Sihle Zikalala and current Finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube for the position, said a fresh approach was needed in KZN ANC politics.
Zungu has called his campaign 'The fresh approach to leading in extremely challenging times'.
He said slates do not build and foster camaraderie but foster divisions.
“Slates are the products of incumbents, we can’t take accountability for what has happened, but if we emerge at the provincial conference, we will work hard to see that the issue of slates is done away with.”
He said the party, at a provincial and national level, needed to move away from slates, away from gatekeeping and away from ownership of branches by private individuals.
“Electoral reform is critical and the need to move away from the toxic environment of slates, the toxic capture of branches and the evil of money flowing around,'' Zungu said.
Zungu said the biggest challenge for the party was whether the ANC would win the majority in the province in 2024.
“The trend at the current trajectory points to a massive decline in the province. If we continue to do the same thing, then the ANC in KZN is destined for the opposition benches come 2024.''
Zungu said he was confident of his struggle credentials.
“What I don' t have is the credentials to do the wrong thing,'' Zungu said, adding that while he believes he has a right to put his hand up and contest, ultimately, the decision rests with delegates who vote.
The ANC provincial conference will take place this weekend in Durban.