Gwede Mantashe says Zuma standing for ANC chair, biggest joke he's heard this year

Former president Jacob Zuma availing himself for the ANC national chair is the biggest joke of 2022, according to incumbent Gwede Mantashe.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Cosatu national congress on Tuesday, Mantashe, who is seeking a second term as ANC national chairperson, chimed in on the news that Zuma availed himself to contest for chair at the party’s national conference in December.

In a statement, Zuma said he had been approached by ANC cadres who believe he has more to contribute to the party and urged him to stand for national chair.

Responding to this, Mantashe said it was the biggest joke he’d heard all year.

“He was my president for 10 years. I was his secretary for 10 years. I take that as the biggest joke of the year actually. If JZ [Jacob Zuma] at 81 [years old] wants to contest chairperson of the ANC, I take it as a joke,” Mantashe said.

Zuma will turn 81 in April 2023.

Mantashe is backed by the ANC in Eastern Cape, who endorsed him for re-election about two weeks ago. He also received a nod from the Northern Cape.

However, he faces tough competition from Limpopo premier and chair Stan Mathabatha, who has been endorsed by his home province, Gauteng and, most recently, KwaZulu-Natal. This means Mathabatha has the backing of the largest and third-biggest delegation to the national conference in December.

Zuma, however, does not have the support of his home province KZN after the provincial executive committee came out to support Mathabatha on Tuesday.

nkosin@sowetan.co.za