ANC KZN RESPONDS TO MEDIA REPORTS

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has noted with grave concern the continued publication of the lists purported to be views of some of our comrades in KwaZulu-Natal on the issue of who should be elected to lead the ANC during the upcoming National Conference in Mangaung (see Sowetan report).

These so-called lists of "preferred candidates" for leadership ahead of the conference, have been published by various newspapers in the past few weeks.

These lists suggest that some comrades in KwaZulu-Natal are campaigning for current ANC national executive committee members from KwaZulu-Natal to take over all key ANC national positions during the conference.

As the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, we wish to place it on record that there is no such campaign in our province. We view the publication of these lists as nothing but desperate efforts by those who deliberately want to demonise our province by portraying it as advocating tribalism.

We want to emphasize that we have never and will never approach issues of leadership based on tribalism. We understand and preserve the principle of unity of all sections of people in South Africa because know well that the ANC was founded on the principle of unity. 

When the ANC was established in 1912, a call for Mzulu, Mxhosa, Mvenda and Basotho to unite, resonated the minds of all those who formed our movement. The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal will never undermine that call. We remain committed to inclusive leadership and we view the publication of lists as nothing but well calculated efforts aimed at creating divisions in our movement.

As the province, we will strive for maximum unity in all structures and provinces of the ANC as we prepare for 53rd ANC conference in  Manguang.

We call on ANC members to be vigilant of people who spread lies about our organisation with a sole aim of furthering divisions and factional agendas.

Statement issued by Sihle Zikalala ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, April 11 2012

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