By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says he is ready to stand for ANC presidency after he was endorsed by some traditional leaders and a senior leader of the ANC in the eThekwini region.
This comes as the ANC gears for national elective conference in December this year.
Addressing a group of Amabutho and Izinduna (Zulu Regiments and traditional leaders) who attended the traditional wedding of his son, Dedanimabhunu Mkhize, the former minister said he will do whatever he is requested to do by the ANC’s structures. This was in response to another call by traditional leaders gathered at the Mkhize’s Willowton home in Pietermaritzburg that he should avail himself for the ANC presidency.
Mkhize said he has always dedicated himself to public service and that he does not mind continuing with doing so at the request of party branches.
“ANC branches will meet and decide, but I can assure that if they approach me, I will be willing to serve as I have always served. I have served even during the difficult times of the apartheid era, but I will continue serving and wherever they send us we will respect the decision,” said Mkhize.
He had even been asked to answer questions about the political violence in Richmond in the 90s, and about tenders to do with the province’s controversial circumcision programme, where the device used was procured from Malaysia and he was then premier.
“Let the law take its course and investigators do their job. However, some of these things come up as a campaign, even if you answer some of the questions, go to court (to clear yourself), and new issues pop up.
He also told those gathered that he believes some political leaders are working in cahoots with private companies and some journalists to tarnish his name.
Mkhize’s name has surfaced in a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation probing how a KwaZulu-Natal provincial treasury tender ballooned from R3.5 million to R114 million.
SIU investigation, completed last February, found that a contract for the provision of forensic risk services called Operation Unembeza awarded to Universal Security Services (USS) by the provincial treasury in September 2007 was irregular. Mkhize was MEC for finance and economic development at the time.
According to an affidavit by an SIU investigator, which formed the basis of the SIU’s findings, the circumstances around USS’ appointment showed that in February 2008, the KZN treasury’s former head Sipho Shabalala wrote a letter to Mkhize motivating for Operation Unembeza to be rolled out to all provincial government departments.
Mkhize has since taken the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report on Digital Vibes on review because he believed they had reached the wrong conclusions about him.
Ahead of the fiercely contested eThekwini regional conference, Mkhize raised eyebrows when he was spotted in a last-minute campaign event of the eventual victor, Zandile Gumede. That prompted provincial chairperson, Sihle Zikalala, to indirectly take a swipe at him.