Business tycoon Sandile Zungu, who pulled out of ANC KwaZulu-Natal leadership race four years ago, says gatekeeping is threatening the party’s future.
“The ANC talks renewal, but it is not renewing in essence,” Zungu said, in an interview with Sowetan.
Zungu said while he will never turn down political office, he will not campaign for a position, preferring instead to focus on making an impact through his business ventures.
“I will never say no in all honesty. If the country calls for my services, if the country believes I have a role to play, I will never frown upon it. What I won’t do is to raise my hands and go on a campaign. I don’t want to do that,” he said.
His comments come in the backdrop of rumours that mining magnate and billionaire Patrice Motsepe is being lobbied to contest for ANC president in 2027.
Motsepe has repeatedly said he is not interested in entering party politics, but this has not stopped campaigners from raising his name for contest.
“Where I am, I am absolutely happy. I am making a difference in my immediate environment and I think I am desired in the space that I am in business. I am adding a lot of value,” Zungu said.
In 2022, Zungu entered the race to lead KwaZulu-Natal but withdrew his nomination after an extensive campaign.
He said when he joined the race, he had clear intentions.
READ| Sandile Zungu sings out for ‘sister’ Zandile Gumede ahead of ANC conference
This followed an approach by young people in the province and initial testing of the waters for about a month, crisscrossing the province and speaking with key decision-makers and influential figures.
However, after a few meetings, he said: “No, that’s not for me,” and pulled out of the race.
But he was convinced for a second time to stay, being told he couldn’t withdraw because he had traction on the ground and that he should complete the task.
“I have never been a coward in my life. Failure is not something that should scare me. I have failed so many times before. I embrace failure, because I know after every episode of failure, I emerge a much stronger person,” he said.
“I was not going to frown upon the mission just because I risked failure. The risk of failure was very high when I did an objective analysis of what lay ahead, but I went back into the trench, and I worked even harder - crisscrossed the province.”
He said he spoke to anyone who mattered at the time - and some dismissed him, while some deceived him.
But during the provincial conference, it became clear that there was no way he would win. He then decided to tactically withdraw to save face and preserve his integrity.
“I am quite clear that even if my name was on it, I would not have succeeded because the ANC, as I knew it, had moved, in my opinion, to treacherous ground,” he said.
Zungu said he is happy with where he was currently.
“I have gone back into business on a focused basis, with a greater determination. I would argue, I have made a huge success of it, and I will continue to make a huge success of it. That environment is ideally suited for those that believe they can make a huge success.”
He also said that some in the organisation did not give sufficient consideration to what needed to be done to save it, which he said was clearly facing the abyss.
“... it was facing a very steep, rolling cliff. It was quite clear that any misstep would take us, the movement to where it is now.”
He said the loss of the elections in 2024 was quite evident and they could see it coming.
He said that gatekeeping within the ANC was one of his largest lamentations.
“The ANC talks renewal, but it is not renewing in essence. Gatekeeping is going to kill this organisation, and gatekeeping prevents the organisation from attracting good talent and [it] prevents the organisation from receiving the patronage of people who are well-intended and, in some cases, even insults those who have given their lot to the organisation.”
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