The African Transformation Motion (ATM) has changed its long-standing president, Vuyolwethu Zungula. (@ATMovement_SA/Twitter)
The removing of Vuyo Zungula because the president of the African Transformation Motion was pushed by inside energy dynamics, as some ATM members feared his rising recognition, celebration sources stated.
On Monday, the ATM introduced that the celebration’s founder, Caesar Nongqunga, had changed Zungula to increase the celebration’s help base forward of the 2026 and 2029 elections.
However celebration insiders declare this narrative is deceptive.
Within the Might 2024 elections, the ATM secured 0.40% of the vote, leading to two seats in parliament — a slight lower from the 0.44% it obtained within the 2019 basic elections.
A supply stated a faction within the ATM opposed Zungula’s management, saying that different leaders have been apprehensive that he was changing into “too distinguished”.
“That is the one clarification that is smart; it’s about energy dynamics, nothing else,” the supply stated.
The supply added that Zungula was not knowledgeable in regards to the determination to take away him as president, which is why he has not responded to inquiries from the media, together with the Mail & Guardian.
One other supply described the choice to take away Zungula as “weird” and illogical.
“They simply eliminated him with none prior dialogue. That’s why it’s troublesome for him to touch upon this matter publicly; he’s a disciplined individual and can want to not converse out about these points,” the supply stated.
“This different faction is ready for him to make a mistake — any mistake — they usually may even attempt to take away him from parliament. So, for now, we should lay low till issues settle.”
It’s understood that the celebration’s nationwide govt committee (NEC) reached an settlement to take away Zungula as president final week Friday and later despatched a delegation to tell him of the choice.
Zungula can also be a member of the NEC however was not current when the choice was taken to take away him from his publish.
“As a member of the NEC, Zungula ought to have been in that assembly when the choice was made,” the supply stated. “Somebody was simply tasked with delivering the message to him.”
ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona stated Zungula couldn’t attend the NEC assembly due to prior commitments.
“After the assembly, a delegation was despatched to talk with the president in regards to the matter, and there was additionally a gathering with the founder, Professor Caesar Nongqunga.”
He stated that the choice resulted from ongoing discussions the celebration had been having because the 29 Might 2024 elections.
“Following the elections, the celebration met with its buildings to debate the way it may develop based mostly on the election outcomes,” Ntshona stated.
“That data culminated in an NEC assembly to guage the method. The analysis highlighted two factors: one, that our parliamentary advocacy is unmatched, and president Zungula has served the celebration excellently for seven years; and two, that the time has come to separate the roles of parliamentary advocacy and celebration progress.”
“When evaluating the seven years, we see that we’ve not had electoral progress, despite the fact that he has been doing excellently. So, we at the moment are saying, let’s change technique and introduce Professor Nongqunga to give attention to celebration progress, complementing the celebration chief’s efforts in parliament.”
However one other supply accused Ntshona of undermining Zungula’s contributions to the celebration, suggesting that inside points have been at play.
“He’s selling a story that they went to branches, compiled a report after conferences to evaluate the efficiency of the 2024 elections, and the choice to take away him was based mostly on that report. He’s primarily undermining Zungula’s work by implying he has failed,” the supply stated.
Ntshona dismissed these allegations, calling them as malicious and doubtless originating from folks not concerned in management buildings or missing department help.
“These persons are populists who simply need to trigger hassle the place there may be none,” Ntshona stated.
He stated there was no decision to bar Zungula from talking publicly.
Ntshona additional dismissed rumours that uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) celebration president Jacob Zuma had suggested the ATM to take away Zungula.
Rumours in MK celebration circles advised that Zungula could be thought of for its secretary basic place following the dismissal of Floyd Shivambu.
Sources within the ATM have stated Zungula would proceed to steer the celebration in parliament and wouldn’t be a part of the MK celebration.
In March, the MK celebration introduced in a joint assertion with the ATM that they’d collaborate in all by-elections main as much as the 2026 native authorities elections and the 2029 basic elections. However ATM members are involved that the MK celebration would possibly overshadow the ATM.
The ATM already has a working relationship with the MK celebration in parliament by means of the so-called progressive caucus.
Ntshona stated Zungula would stay the ATM’s chief spokesperson and “I’ll converse when he can’t converse”.
“You’re hardly going to see Professor Nongqunga taking interviews and overshadowing President Zungula; that’s President Zungula’s house. We wish him [Nongqunga] engaged on the bottom with the folks, assembly with kings and forming alliances. We wish him there.
“President Zungula will stay the face of the ATM; all the pieces stays the identical apart from overseeing the celebration’s operations — that may now not be his accountability. Advocacy is his, interviews are his, and all the pieces else he was doing, he continues to do with out interference.
“Every of those events retains its independence. There’s no president Zuma telling the ATM what to do, and there’s no ATM telling president Zuma or the MK [party] what to do. We’re very a lot unbiased on this determination, and it’s for the expansion of the celebration by separating the roles in celebration management and parliamentary management.”