The tone for the upcoming ANC Harry Gwala Regional leadership has already been set with the majority of the branches unashamedly making their line-up known to the public as clearly as the rays of the rising sun on hot summer mornings.
By this, these branches are explicitly illustrating that the cards are no longer being played closer to the chest.
If the will of the majority is the branches reigns as is seemingly inevitable, the current Chairperson, Zamo Nxumalo will undisputedly retain his chairmanship position. He will be deputised by Raymond Langa, taking over the reins from the current deputy Chairperson, Phumzile Nocanda.
While the current acting Secretary, Zenzele Msomi will become a full-time Regional secretary and deputised by the ANCYL leader, Qiniso Mnguni.
The Member of Parliament, Lindiwe Mjobo is set to take over as the Treasurer from the current Regional Secretary, Les Situta.
Msomi will take over from Sindi Msomi who resigned after having assumed the duties of Mayor for Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Municipality, in an honour of the organisational deployment and a responsibility to lead.
Mnguni will take over from the current deputy secretary, Zenzele Msomi, who is currently acting as a secretary of the region.
The above names have been endorsed by more than 50% of the 61 regional branches, in which about 40 of them are ready to hold their Branch General Meeting (BGMs) while 21 are set to hold both BBGMs and BGMs simultaneously.
However, all four Sub- regions namely, Kokstad, NDZ, uMzimkhulu and Ixopo are set to officially elect their leadership in the next few weeks as their term of office has expired.
The INFORMER is made to believe that Nxumalo’s line- up is highly likely to emerge victorious in all Sub-regions as it has also taken all social networks by a storm conceiting to the seemingly inevitable victory for Nxumalo’s slate.
Even in uMzimkhulu, a sub-region marred by political intolerance, Nxumalo enjoys enormous support.
However, in the Kokstad Sub-region, eight out of 10 branches are in support of Nxumalo’s slate.
In the NDZ Sub-region Nxumalo enjoys support of 11 out of 15 branches. In Ixopo all 14 branches support Nxumalo’s line up and in uMzimkhulu, the biggest sub-region, Nxumalo enjoys an overwhelming support as all the branches that are in good standing- have endorsed his name.
The Informer also understands that the looming three-day conference set to be held in Kokstad is billed as a historical event in the making as it will be peaceful, uncontested and will be very inclusive of even those having a different view.
Chances of a contest in the conference are very slim as the branches have taken a stand to deal with behind the “scenes” meetings planning to sabotage their view to ensure that Nxumalo’s slate is maximally endorsed.
The ANCYL Regional Convenor, Njabulo Dlamini has thrown his weight behind Nxumalo’s support saying “we are not just supporting the line-up only because we are represented by our youth leader, Mnguni but we support Zwide on the basis that he worked very hard to deliver services in the region and for the ANC and out of that he had proved himself beyond reasonable doubt that he is capable to lead and be given another term”.
He said they need capable leaders with the aim of uniting the region and growing the organisation. “At the moment Zwide is the leader capable of that, working together with the officials” he said.
Nxumalo was not available for comment.
