Thabani Nyawose has been appointed the convener of eThekwini
Image: Doctor Ngcobo
The ANC has placed President Cyril Ramaphosa's backers in control of KwaZulu-Natal and eThekwini ahead of the local government elections set to take place on November 4 and the party’s elective conference next year.
Two weeks ago, the party removed provincial convener Jeff Radebe and replaced him with Mike Mabuyakhulu and appointed James Nxumalo as the provincial coordinator. Both Mabuyakhulu and Nxumalo are Ramaphosa’s backers, having supported him at the 2017 and 2022 party elective conferences.
On Thursday, the party announced another well known Ramaphosa backer, Thabani Nyawose as the convener in the eThekwini region. Nyawose who is currently the eThekwini Municipality Speaker, will be assisted by Thanduxolo Sabelo as a coordinator.
Nyawose and Sabelo were in the slate that unsuccessfully challenged the powerful pro-Zuma slate that ensured Zandile Gumede won the chairperson race in 2022.
Gumede was unable to take office as she had to abide by the party's step aside policy following criminal charges against her emanating from the eThekwini R320 million solid waste tender scandal while she was mayor.
Nyawose welcomed his appointment and thanked the ANC for the trust it has placed in him.
“I am humbled by the confidence the ANC has in me. This is not an easy task. I pray to God to give us wisdom to lead His people according to His will,” said Nyawose.
He stated that he knows and understands the frustration of eThekwini residents and there is already an intervention process to address some of their concerns.
Nyawose is originally from the south coast of the province and is a survivor of the KwaShobashobane massacre when armed men, allegedly associated with the IFP, killed 19 people on Christmas Day in 1995. A number of his relatives died in the massacre.
Other than Nyawose’s new task team, the province's 10 other regions also has new leadership teams. In Moses Mabhida region (Pietermaritzburg) the party retained Nathi Mdladla as the convener and former Cosatu provincial secretary Zet Luzipo as the coordinator.
Nyawose and Mdladla’s teams are expected to have their work cut out to counter Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), which collected more votes in these two regions in the 2024 general election.
Last week, Zuma told his new eThekwini election leadership to work hard to take eThekwini from the current coalition of the ANC, EFF and IFP.
The MKP has vowed to double down to win the City with an overwhelming majority to block any ANC, IFP and DA.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za