As the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal kicks off its provincial elective conference on Friday, party secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli says the province has set its sights on having two leaders in the ANC's top six come December.

"Since 1991 KZN has always been represented in the top six and we even saw that number increase to two people from the province. However, in 2017 we found ourselves outside and as the province, we’re very committed in getting that back," he said.

“We’re strong and united behind that effort and all slates are committed to ensuring this happens. It doesn’t matter who emerges despite what the media thinks is going to happen this weekend. We were weakened as a province in 2017."

Ntuli was speaking on Thursday ahead of the high stakes gathering to elect new provincial leadership. ANC KZN chairperson Sihle Zikalala is being contested by three opponents – businessman Sandile Zungu, finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube and KZN legislature chair of chairs Siboniso Duma.

Posters of slates circulating on social media also indicated that controversial former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede is eyeing the position of treasurer.

Gumede has been forced to step aside from her position by the party's step-aside rule, which bars criminally charged members from participating in party activities.

Speaking to Sowetan, Gumede was coy about appearing on a number of slates, saying no-one had nominated her as conference had not sat.

“No-one has asked me or nominated me. You need to know if you’ve been nominated and can’t know on information from the public.

“As you know I’m currently on step aside and I can’t talk about the province or the conference,” she said.

Ntuli said he was not worried about Gumede and her being nominated at conference, should it happen.

He said he believed Gumede would do what was right for the ANC.

“As a member of the ANC that understands and respects decisions of the national executive committee and at whatever point when she has to make a choice between herself and the ANC, I think she will make a choice in favour of the ANC,” he said.

Ntuli is also seeking re-election as the provincial secretary but will face strong opposition from Bheki Mtolo and Super Zuma.

On Thursday, Durban was a hive of activity as delegates from the ANC's 11 regions in KZN continued trickling in at the various hotels along the beachfront. Some ANC NEC heavyweights such as Zizi Kodwa had already arrived in the province ahead of the conference. 

At least 1,617 delegates are expected to attend the conference at the Olive Convention Centre. Ntuli announced all 11 regions were in good standing, adding that only three branches had disputes with the national dispute resolution committee.

ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile is expected to open the conference.

With 192,000 members in good standing, KZN is the ANC's biggest province which also sends the largest delegation to national conferences, making it a key player in deciding the succession race.

Political analyst at the University of KZN Zandile Ndlovu said: "KZN is a province that continues to be under [former president Jacob] Zuma's influence. The question is will it continue because in eThekwini the Zuma faction won and now will this translate to the province as well?

"In the past, KZN was very much united when Zuma was president due to him dispatching patronage. However, [Cyril] Ramaphosa has made inroads in the province, but were they enough?"

PODCAST | A province run by personal politics - what to expect from the ANC KZN conference