Former Durban mayor James Nxumalo Former eThekwini municipality mayor James Nxumalo.
Image: File Picture: Sibusiso Ndlovu
Former mayor of the eThekwini Municipality, James Nxumalo, could make a dramatic comeback to the top structure of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Mercury has been informed that Nxumalo is among the two names being considered by the ANC to replace Jeff Radebe as the coordinator of the ANC Task Team.
Two ANC members with knowledge of the party’s affairs said Nxumalo’s name came under discussion by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) as the possible replacement for Radebe.
Radebe seems to have fallen out of favour with the party leadership following concerns that the state of the ANC in the province is not improving. It was recently reported that former president Kgalema Motlanthe warned that the party is dying in the province.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula last year blasted the ANC leaders in KZN and compared them to a “Tazz vehicle.”
He warned that there would be dramatic changes in the structure leading the ANC in the province. He made it clear that the leaders in KZN were not fulfilling their assigned roles but were consumed by infighting over who should lead. “We thought we had put in a Ferrari there in KZN, but we are seeing now that we had put in a Tazz,” Mbalula said with scorn over the goings-on in the province at the time.
His warning came amid widespread fears that the province might not be able to hold its provincial conference, as most of its structures in the province are in tatters. This could, in turn, affect the party's representation at the national conference.
A member of the NEC attending the gathering this week stated that two names had been proposed: “The NWC was to meet to discuss between Cde. James Nxumalo and another leader whose name has not been disclosed. The decision has not filtered through to our NEC group yet.” An ANC and SACP member, who asked not to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, said they are aware that Nxumalo is being considered for a top post. “They are looking to make him the coordinator of the province, which means he will be in charge of everything related to the running of ANC affairs in the province, including the running of the elections.”
The member, however, said in light of the challenges between the ANC and SACP, the appointment would be complex, and they, as SACP members, fear it is intended to weaken the SACP heading into the elections. “But his appointment would be a complicated affair, keeping in mind that Nxumalo comes from a ward in eThekwini, where his brother once contested as an independent candidate under the SACP banner against the ANC and won. His ward is very strong when it comes to the SACP.”
The member said it seems there is a concerted effort to undermine the SACP’s push to contest elections as an independent party. “There seems to be an infiltration of the SACP to weaken it by taking all the popular leaders and giving them responsibilities in the ANC. If you look at the appointment of Buti Manamela as the Minister of Higher Education, it was the youth league of the SACP that made the call years ago that the SACP should contest the elections. However, it seems only now that the decision has been forgotten that he has been appointed as a minister,” said the member.
The Mercury had reached out to the ANC national office for comment but had not received a response.