Zuma wants Skwatsha moved

2008-12-28 11:10

Caiphus Kgosana

Johannesburg - ANC president Jacob Zuma has suggested that the party's erring Western Cape chairperson, Mcebisi Skwatsha, be redeployed outside the country as an ambassador.

Delivering his political report to the national executive committee (NEC) where he announced the decision to send a top level team to run the affairs of the party in the province, Zuma expressed disappointment at the series of blunders that have cost the ANC dearly in the Western Cape.

Although he stopped short of calling for the disbandment of the provincial executive committee (PEC), Zuma warned the Western Cape ANC leadership that even though they had survived disbandment by the NEC, they would be like "a driver without car keys".

"He (Zuma) was very angry at what he perceived as a lack of leadership in the province," said an NEC source.

Skwatsha - who angered NEC members because of a litany of errors committed under his watch, including failure to register candidates in time for crucial by-elections - found his back against the wall at the NEC meeting and had to apologise for the state of the party in the province.

The party has sent in a task team convened by former Cape Town mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo to take over the day to day running of affairs in the province.

The task team includes Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan, Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, NEC member and SACP deputy general secretary Jeremy Cronin and NEC members Dina Pule, Joe Phaahla and Tina Joemat-Petterson.

The team is to report directly to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, who is keeping a keen eye on developments.

The ruling party faces the real prospect of losing the Western Cape to opposition parties next year.

Skwatsha was elected chairperson following a highly contentious provincial conference. Hundreds of delegates boycotted the conference, citing irregularities in the processes leading up to it.

The subsequent endorsement of the conference by Luthuli House saw disgruntled members, many of them in the large Dullah Omar region, leaving the ANC to join the Congress of the People.

Former Dullah Omar regional treasurer and businessman Fezile Calana said the decision by the NEC to take over the running of the Western Cape PEC was long overdue.

"Some of us are now ready to throw our weight behind branches that were not recognised at the provincial conference," he said.

- City Press