Bheki Ntuli (eThekwini politician)

Bheki Ntuli is a South African politician who is active in the African National Congress (ANC) of KwaZulu-Natal. He is known for his tenure as Regional Secretary of the ANC's eThekwini branch, an office he held from 2015 to 2019. He subsequently led the branch as its interim coordinator from 2020 until 2022, when he was voted out of the leadership by allies of Zandile Gumede. In July 2022, he was elected to a four-year term on the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal branch.

Not to be confused with Bheki Ntuli (1957–2021), the former MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison.
Bheki Ntuli
Regional Secretary of the African National Congress in eThekwini
In office
December 2015 – June 2019
DeputyMondli Mthembu
ChairpersonZandile Gumede
Preceded byBheki Ntshangase
Succeeded byMusa Nciki
Personal details
CitizenshipSouth Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Relations

Political career

Ntuli rose to prominence through his activities in the eThekwini branch of the ANC, the party's largest in the country; he was a member of the ANC Regional Executive Committee in eThekwini as early as 2012.[1] In December 2015, he was elected Regional Secretary of the eThekwini ANC, a full-time position; he served under Regional Chairperson Zandile Gumede, who subsequently became Mayor of eThekwini.[2] By 2018, it was widely reported that Ntuli and Gumede had a tense relationship,[3][4] and Ntuli was touted as a possible successor to Gumede.[5]

At the same time, the opposition Democratic Alliance alleged that Ntuli was attempting "to control the city from Commercial City [ANC regional headquarters]".[6] In December 2016, the party claimed that he was attempting to influence employment processes at eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality; it also said that Ntuli frequently attended meetings of the ANC's caucus in the council, despite not holding any public position in the council.[6] Ntuli also caused a minor scandal in September 2017 when a video of his bodyguards – filmed brandishing guns and threatening to kill somebody – went viral on social media; the bodyguards were subsequently fired.[7][8][9][10][11]

Interim task team

In 2019, the ANC Provincial Executive Committee in KwaZulu-Natal removed Ntuli, Gumede, and the other regional leaders from office on the grounds that they had exceeded their three-year term.[12] However, Ntuli was appointed to the interim task team that was formed to lead the regional branch until new leadership elections could be held; he was appointed deputy coordinator, serving under coordinator Mluleki Ndobe,[13] and he took over as coordinator after Ndobe died in 2020.[14]

Re-election bid

As the elections approached, Ntuli campaigned to be re-elected as Regional Secretary, aligning himself with a slate of candidates headed by Thabani Nyawose, who would run against Gumede for the chairmanship.[15][16] Nyawose's slate was aligned to ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa, whereas Gumede's slate was associated with supporters of former President Jacob Zuma.[17] The Sunday Times reported that Ntuli was additionally developing a fledgling alliance with ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile.[18]

However, when the conference was held in April 2022, Nyawose lost to Gumede and Ntuli lost to Musa Nciki, Gumede's running mate; he received 174 votes against the 217 received by Nciki.[19] Nonetheless, in July 2022, Ntuli was elected to a four-year term on the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC's KwaZulu-Natal branch.[20]

Personal life

Ntuli's family, from KwaXimba near Cato Ridge, is known to be influential in the KwaZulu-Natal ANC.[21] His nephews are Thembo Ntuli[22] – who was elected deputy chair of the eThekwini ANC on Gumede's slate in 2022 – and Mdumiseni Ntuli.[21]

References
  1. "Durban's new 'boss' takes charge". IOL. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  2. "Zandile Gumede elected new eThekwini region chairperson". News24. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  3. "Is Durban's 'Mama Mayor' on her way out?". IOL. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  4. Ngcobo, Ziyanda (8 August 2018). "ANC KZN dismisses claims of tension between Gumede & Ntuli". EWN. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  5. "Just who is Zandile Gumede? A look at eThekwini's mayor". News24. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  6. "Leaked ANC memo calls for cadres to be nominated for eThekwini municipality jobs: DA". Sowetan. 21 December 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  7. Ngcobo, Ziyanda (8 September 2017). "ANC: Behaviour of eThekwini party official's bodyguards unpalatable". EWN. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  8. Ngcobo, Ziyanda (7 September 2017). "Gun-toting bodyguards fired, says KZN ANC". EWN. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  9. Lujabe, Ndileka (7 September 2017). "ANC fires Ntuli's gun-wielding bodyguards". City Press. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  10. "ANC's Ntuli bodyguards make death threats while showing off gun collection". The Citizen. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  11. "'The dog will die': Gun-toting ANC bodyguards threaten". Sunday Times. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  12. "ANC disbands eThekwini Regional Executive Committee". SABC News. 9 June 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  13. "Former mayor Zandile Gumede gets a spot on ANC's eThekwini regional task team". Polity. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  14. Phungula, Willem (31 March 2022). "eThekwini ANC regional elective conference on ice, again". IOL. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  15. "'Unity' man in battle for eThekwini". The Mail & Guardian. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  16. "Zandile Gumede nominated in absentia as ANC eThekwini regional chairperson". The Mail & Guardian. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  17. Makhaye, Chris (9 April 2022). "ANC eThekwini: Ex-mayor Zandile Gumede to vie against Thabani Nyawose for top post in weekend elections". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  18. "Is Paul Mashatile wooing eThekwini in the hope of the 2022 hot seat?". Sunday Times. 8 November 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  19. Khumalo, Juniour (10 April 2022). "Zandile Gumede defeats Thabani Nyawose in race for ANC eThekwini chair". News24. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  20. "Ex-chair Sihle Zikalala fails to make it into ANC KZN provincial executive committee". SowetanLIVE. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  21. Ardé, Greg (9 March 2020). "The ANC battle for control of eThekwini". New Frame. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  22. "EThekwini leadership battle takes new turn as ANCYL chairperson switches sides". IOL. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
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