Cape Town - The battle for the ANC’s Western Cape premier candidacy continues as the party is caught in internal squabbles.
Khalid Sayed is said to have been appointed by the ANC’s National Working Committee as the premier candidate ahead of the national and provincial elections; however, his name was disputed by some members of the party, who said that he doesn't bring confidence to voters.
According to a source inside the party, the delay in announcing the Western Cape premier candidate has been a political football between various factions within the party.
The source said Sayed is viewed as an opponent by the faction that won the ANC’s last Western Cape conference, which elected Vuyiso JJ Tyhalisisu as the provincial chairperson over Cameron Dugmore.
“This matter is in fact beyond the election, as in not really about the election but to show who is in control.
“The other faction fears that if Sayed is selected as premier candidate, it will increase his popularity in the province.
“These people are already looking at the next provincial conference, and the possibility of him being elected as the ANC provincial chair is very high. They don’t want that.
“Khalid is popular among the Muslim community, which I think is a great thing for the party as he will be able to attract the Muslim community, which has long deserted the party in the province.
“People in the Muslim community are now losing their patience over the announcement, some saying they will support other parties,” the source said.
The party released a media alert last Monday saying it would host a media briefing in Athlone where ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was to announce the premier candidate.
However, in an about-turn, the party released another statement the same day saying that the briefing had been postponed.
Asked about the allegations of factionalism, Sayed, who is also the spokesperson for the ANC in the province, said: “There are no factions in the party; we remain united.
“We are waiting for the nation to give us direction over the matter; we are now focusing very hard on our campaign in the province, going door to door and speaking to our people on the ground.”
Tertuis Simmers, the DA Western Cape leader, said the repeated postponement of the ANC press briefings to announce the party’s Western Cape premier candidate speaks volumes about the party’s internal disarray.
“It begs the question: how can the ANC position itself as a credible opposition force in the Western Cape if it cannot even solidify its leadership to lead the province?
“Further evidence of this is the recent resignation of an ANC member from the Western Cape provincial parliament, citing the party’s lack of readiness to govern. This underscores the deep divisions within the ANC in the Western Cape, reflected in ongoing delays in announcing their candidate.
“Such divisions not only reflect the party’s inability to present a united front but also reflect poorly on its capacity to provide leadership that can govern effectively,” said Simmers.
In a province as diverse and complex as the Western Cape, effective leadership is paramount, he said.
“It requires leaders who are not only competent but also capable of fostering cohesion and a vision for governance. The current state of the ANC in the Western Cape, marked by internal strife and power struggles, falls short of meeting these requirements. It is perhaps also telling that while other parties have been on the ground campaigning since before the voter registration weekends, the ANC is only flying its first campaign poster in the Western Cape now – almost 30 days from the election,” said Simmers.
Cape Argus