ANC's plans to reconfigure WC leadership cause discontent; PA, DA look to snap up disgruntled local leaders
EWN has reliably learnt that members of the ANC's provincial leadership are being wooed by both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the PA, as looming reconfiguration upsets local leaders.
Picture: @MYANC/X
CAPE TOWN - Plans by the African National Congress (ANC) national executive to reconfigure its Western Cape leadership could further weaken its status in its worst-performing province, with disgruntled local leaders said to be looking for greener pastures.
The party has already lost two ward councillors to the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in recent weeks, and on Wednesday, battled it out in by-elections in Knysna and the hung council of Matzikama.
EWN has reliably learnt that members of the ANC's provincial leadership are being wooed by both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the PA, as looming reconfiguration upsets local leaders.
The so-called Rural for Change bloc emerged victorious at the ANC's Western Cape provincial conference in 2023, after four years of being under administration by an interim leadership.
But two weeks ago, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula announced another shake-up, that the Western Cape would follow the same route as KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, with a reconfiguration of its leadership.
EWN understands that since that announcement, some senior ANC leaders have become prey for other political parties, particularly PA leader, Gayton McKenzie, who is said to be making a strong play for them to defect.
ANC national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu, said that no decision had yet been taken on how or when the reconfiguration process would unfold.
"The reconfiguration may very well be anything from effecting changes in the leadership structure - that’s one of the options currently on the table. The nature and the shape of that change will be communicated by the ANC."
Sources who spoke to EWN said there was a feeling that a decision to reconfigure after just two years was unfair.
But Bhengu has dismissed this argument.
"I don’t see how that is undermining. Two years is a long time in politics. We need all our structures to be strong, functional, compliant, but more importantly, connected to the people."
She said that national leaders would return to the province soon to explain the findings of its working committee and the way forward.