James Nxumalo’s potential return to ANC leadership in KwaZulu-Natal

Former Durban mayor James NxumaloFormer eThekwini municipality mayor James Nxumalo. 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 memberswith 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.

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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.

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