DA leader John Steenhuisen on Monday slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa after corruption-accused former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede was elected ANC eThekwini regional chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal.

Steenhuisen said the return of embattled Gumede to a powerful position in the province proved Ramaphosa has lost control of this region and others. 

Steenhuisen, whose party filed a no-confidence motion against members of Ramaphosa’s cabinet earlier this year, said the president needs to regain control of the ruling party.

“With corruption-accused Zandile Gumede elected as ANC eThekwini regional chairperson last night, and with her allies having won all the other top positions contested, Ramaphosa has clearly lost control of this and other key regions. But he can and must control the size and composition of his cabinet,” Steenhuisen said.

Gumede’s election was met with mixed responses from politicians and the public.

EFF secretary-general Marshall Dlamini laughed off the losses by Ramaphosa’s allies, while former Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus welcomed Gumede’s election. 

Gumede, who was nominated and elected in absentia, beat Ramaphosa’s ally Thabani Nyawose for the position.

SoweyanLIVE sister publication TimesLIVE reported her victory is expected to give corruption-accused former health minister Zweli Mkhize a much-needed boost in his contestation for the ANC presidency at the December elective conference. 

The controversial former mayor faces more than 2,000 charges relating to a R320m solid waste project.

She was elected alongside Thembo Ntuli as deputy chairperson, Musa Nciki as regional secretary, Nkosenhle Madlala as secretary and Zoe Shabalala as treasurer. 

Ntuli, Madlala and Nciki, are the only members of the five who are not facing corruption charges.