Durban – Head of the ANC economic transformation committee Mmamoloko Kubayi’s assertion that President Cyril Ramaphosa should be uncontested for a second term as party president has been slammed as “undemocratic and dictatorial”.
Kubayi appears to be involved in fierce contestation for the party deputy president’s position with other challengers including ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile, Oscar Mabuyane, Ronald Lamola and Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.
In an interview this week, Kubayi, who is Minister of Human Settlements, said she believed a president who was allowed a second term uncontested became immune from factional interests.
Ramaphosa is being challenged for the position by former Health minister Zweli Mkhize, Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who narrowly lost to Ramaphosa in 2017.
A senior party member said Kubayi’s suggestion flew in the face of the democratic principles of the ANC.
“Between conferences, the NEC has the power but the national elective conference is the supreme body of the ANC. It speaks to the will of the membership and the party’s constitution is not written in a way to allow for dictatorial assertions. This is a hare-brained scheme that is very bad for democracy.”
The source said five years was a long time and party members must have the option to change leadership after five years if they were dissatisfied.
Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe said this notion would not come to fruition in the party.
“The ANC post-1994 has entrenched a culture of democratic practice. Govan Mbeki contested against Walter Sisulu, and made the point that this was done so the notion of contestation becomes embedded in the organisation,” he said.
“The suggestion is out of order and is aimed at giving Ramaphosa a free pass.
“Circumstances must dictate the type of leader and leaders must not be shielded. Instead they must account and this is done through contestation.”
Another analyst, Dr John Molepo from the University of Mpumalanga, said Kubayi was obvious in her intentions as she defined herself as part of Ramaphosa’s slate and wanted it to be known that she was part of his team.
