ANC KwaZulu-Natal convener Jeff Radebe has vowed to remove any members that refuse to toe the line in restoring voter confidence.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Radebe said the new provincial task team (PTT) deployed to the province last week by party secretary general Filkile Mbalula will not spare anyone who is not aligned to the rebuilding vision.
“I and my colleagues, we come with a fresh perspective that we want to start from ground zero to move brick by brick, root and branch to ensure that all the mistakes that the ANC made previously are corrected timeously and that we get back to where we are supposed to be.”
He added that those who are corrupt and factional will be removed.
Radebe said the PTT would focus on rebuilding municipalities to fix the mess that was left by the provincial leadership, which saw a decline in voter support in the 2024 elections, securing only 16.99% of the provincial vote, a significant drop from the 54.22% it obtained in 2019.
“There are no holy cows here. I told you that one of our principal tasks is to monitor all cadres who are deployed in the government of provincial unity and municipalities. We’re not going to be sparing anyone,” he said.
Radebe said the decline in voter confidence in the province was caused by the “arrogance” of the provincial government.
“We start from ground zero as I’ve told the inaugural meeting of the provincial task team. In other words, we’ve been appointed to restore confidence to the ANC by the people of KwaZulu-Natal. Seventeen percent is a disaster. It reflects that the arrogance of the ANC has caused us [to lose] the vote,” he said.
Mbalula disbanded the provincial leadership, replacing it with a 67-member provincial task team to rebuild and strengthen the provincial structure.
The disbanding has caused internal strife, with members arguing that it was not warranted so close to the local government elections.
Provincial coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu said the team will assess its municipalities where they govern to find out how to best address the challenges faced by communities.
“We are going to have a summit that is going to be convened to ensure that we bring all of our municipalities together to assess how we are performing in each of those municipalities where we govern,”
He added that they would also assess performance in municipalities where it is in the opposition.
Radebe said it was important to restore confidence in municipal government and the Ingonyama Trust, as well as to help restore Ithala Bank, which faces liquidation.
He said the team would approach the minister of finance, Enoch Godongwana, and the governor of the South African Reserve Bank to find ways to save the bank from insolvency.
“We are going to be talking with the powers that be like the minister of finance, the governor of the reserve bank, so that we can see what else we can be able to do to save this critical issue that is at the heart and minds of the people of KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.