It’s Mhlongo v Mchunu in KZN race

THEMBEKA Mchunu is leading a slate that has roped-in Tholi Gwala as her deputy chairperson and Lindo Phungula (recently dethroned as district mayor of King Cetshwayo) as regional treasurer.

In the outgoing regional leadership, Mchunu (Thembeka) is the deputy regional chairperson under the leadership of Mdu Mhlongo, the recently deposed mayor of Umhlathuze (Richards Bay-Empangeni).

Of note, in 2018, Mhlongo and Mchunu teamed up with Gwala (who is the current regional secretary) to replace the then-regional leadership of the late Nonhle Mkhulisi, which was seen to be close to the RET faction of the ANC.

Three years later, the slate has collapsed as Mhlongo is now leading a competing slate that is set to take on Mchunu’s slate when the region convenes next month to elect regional leaders for the next three years.

Mhlongo’s slate includes former ANC youth leaders like Nathi Xulu who is gunning for the position of regional secretary.

According to insiders in the region, the balance of forces between the slates is not clear.

However, some believe that the Mchunu slate stands a better chance as it has Gwala, who as the outgoing regional secretary knows the voting blocks by heart.

One insider claimed that Mchunu's slate has not come out to be clear on who it will support at the provincial level, but it is clear that at the national level it will back ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa to take a second term as party leader.

“It’s an open secret that minister Senzo Mchunu is a close ally of Ramaphosa, they were running mates in 2017 at Nasrec where Mchunu wanted to be the secretary-general of the movement. So the slate of his wife is clear that it is backing the CR22 faction. In fact, it will be a major boost for Senzo and Ramaphosa to get the region as it is the third-biggest in KwaZulu-Natal. It will give them much-needed voting numbers,” said one party member sympathetic to the slate.

Mchunu (Thembeka) did not respond when asked by Independent Media to confirm or deny her slate’s link to the CR22 lobby, which is backing Ramaphosa for a second term.

Mhlongo’s slate is allegedly an RET one after it roped-in Smanga Mgenge to contest the position of regional treasurer. Mgenge is known for being openly sympathetic to former President Jacob Zuma.

On July 4 last year, Mgenge was spotted by Independent Media among the thousands of people that were in Nkandla to show support to Zuma before he surrendered to serve his sentence for contempt of the Constitutional Court.

Mgenge also listened to Zuma’s address of the crowd outside his home where he thanked them for their support during his difficult time.

Like Mchunu, Mhlongo, did not respond when asked by Independent Media regarding his alleged links to the RET faction of the ruling party.