Durban — Despite suffering a major setback of being snubbed by her own province of KwaZulu-Natal and her own region in Harry Gwala (Ixopo) for ANC presidential position, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said she was still in the running.
She was speaking on the sideline of a school event she attended where one of its buildings was named after her on Thursday near Isipingo, south of Durban.
Windy Heights Primary School situated in a dense informal settlement of Malukazi, outside Isipingo, had invited her alongside other prominent leaders to open the plaques in the school buildings that were named after them.
This was in honour of their contribution to the betterment of the lives of the people.
Dlamini Zuma said she was not bothered by what the provincial leadership had done and said she would accept the branches’ decision as they had the final say as to who got elected to which position in the conference.
She said she did not have a problem with the choices of the province as it was their prerogative to back whoever they wanted. She added that it would be branches that would finally elect leaders, not the provincial or regional leadership.
"I have no problem. People have their own choices and the ANC taught us democracy. This is a democratic process, so the provincial executive committee, the branch executive or the regional executive committee would say what they want but at the end of the day whatever branches would say we will accept because the final word would come from the branches.“
She was quick to say she never came to the event to campaign for the ANC position, saying she had accepted the invitation many months ago.
The school principal Thembekile Makhanya also dismissed perceptions that the school invited her to provide a platform to launch her presidential campaign.
Makhanya said when she invited her the school had not known that she was going to enter the presidential race, saying she felt she was relevant since she studied at the then Adams college of Education which was not far from the school.
Conspicuously, Dlamini Zuma was also apparently snubbed by various ANC officials in the province who were supposed to attend the event but sent apologies.
Education MEC Mbali Fraser, her department head Nathi Ngcobo, and legislature member Vusi Dube all sent apologies citing other commitments despite having been invited long ago.
Dlamini Zuma as a minister and a senior leader of the ANC cast a lone figure which created an impression that she was snubbed because the party provincial leadership had chosen to back Dr Zweli Mkhize over her.
On Tuesday the ANC provincial leadership preferred Mkhize over Dlamini Zuma despite endorsement by the former president Jacob Zuma whom the new leadership was believed to be closely associated with.
Her own region of Harry Gwala which vigorously campaigned for her in 2017 dumped her and instead endorsed Mkhize. This created perceptions that she would throw in the towel.
Delivering her keynote address she encouraged teachers to take themselves seriously because the nation fell or stood because of them. She also challenged men to protect women, adding that people who were most wrong were those who keep quiet when they see wrong things happening to women.
Other prominent leaders who were honoured by the school were AmaZulu FC chairman Sandile Zungu, storyteller and author Dr Gcina Mhlophe, the late struggle icon Charlotte Maxeke, businessman Moses Tembe, Inkosi Nathi Maphumulo and others.
Daily News