The Southern Slug Fest

Several people want to run Africa’s most developed economy and it’s going to get rough. The race for power has never been this fiercely contested.

- Thobile Hans And Aviwe Mtila

It’s only a few weeks to the much anticipated African National Congress (ANC) leadership race. The number of people who want to be president has grown – it is unheard of in the 105-year history of the embattled ANC, the oldest party on the continent. President Jacob Zuma, who anointed his ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, expressed dismay at the number of candidates who want to replace him. But the party veteran and former acting president, Kgalema Motlanthe, thinks there’s nothing wrong.

“It’s actually an anomaly and I suppose it is also a sign of state of health of the ANC because these contenders are members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), which issued a directive at the beginning of the year that nobody should mention any names.,” says Motlanthe.

Dlamini-Zuma, the former Africa Union chairperson and the country’s former foreign affairs, home affairs, and health minister, and Cyril Ramaphosa, the Deputy President of South Africa, are the hot contenders. Ahead of the elective conference, starting on December 16 in Johannesburg, ANC members are at loggerheads. Motlanthe decried the premature announcement of contenders and says it goes against party tradition.

Zweli Mkhize, the Treasurer-General of the party, is favored as a second choice by supporters of Dlamini-Zuma.