Zuma is bigger than ANC in KwaZulu Natal

DURBAN – Delegates at the now KwaZulu-Natal African National Congress (ANC) consultative conference have shown its national chair Gwede Mantashe the door after drowning him out with songs in support of former president Jacob Zuma.

The provincial elective conference was meant to get underway yesterday after several postponements.

KZN ANC members have been trying to vote for new leadership since the outcomes of the 2015 gathering were nullified by the Pietermaritzburg High Court last year.

But at the last minute, the start of the elective conference was halted after 44 disgruntled branches from divided regions filed an urgent court interdict which was granted.

Some members of the NEC and the provincial task team announced that there will instead be a consultative gathering to discuss 2019 election plans and the Nasrec resolutions.

Mantshe initially sang along to songs, but after constant disruptions, he eventually lost his composure.

“This is an ANC meeting, I’m going to speak here tonight,” he told delegates.

Mantashe even insinuated that former ANC KZN chair Sihle Zikalala is factional. This was prompted by the fact that Zikalala is a leader who could control the audience which remained adamant that Mantashe would not speak.

The media was eventually kicked out of the venue to allow to allow delegates to express their frustrations behind closed doors.