Former South African president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane is the new chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) branch in Durban, his first “baby step” towards his final self-stated goal towards leading the ANC presidency, APA learnt on Monday.
Duduzane’s weekend election to the post received overwhelming support at the branch biennial general meeting of the Newlands Ward 11 ANC branch, according to press reports here.
The move began six months ago, and “this is quite a significant development in the bigger political dynamics in the Durban region of the ANC,” the reports said.
The reports added: “Looking at the regional conference that is upcoming, that is due to be held by the end of February, it basically tells you that Duduzane Zuma, being elected as the branch chairperson of his ward in Newlands, is part of those who are aligned to the former president.”
Like the rest of the Zuma family, Duduzane was a friend of the corruption-accused Gupta brothers who are on the run from the law after years of plundering the South African economy.
He was employed as a director in their company until the Guptas self-exiled themselves in Dubai.
Duduzane also initially fled to the United Arab Emirates but months later he decided to return home, where the police placed him under watch as they gathered evidence concerning the Guptas who show no sign of returning to South Africa soon.
The Guptas’ dodgy business operations led to the formation of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture which has been probing corruption in the past two years of Jacob Zuma’s reign, and is expected to wind up its operations this month.
NM/jn/APA