Sihle Zikalala has resigned as the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
Just two weeks after Zikalala, who was vying for the coveted African National Congress (ANC) Chairman of KZN position, lost to Siboniso Duma 665 votes against 930, he threw in the towel and resigned as premier.
On Friday, the ANC in KZN said it had accepted Zikalala’s resignation.
The party’s newly elected Provincial Executive Committee met for the first time on Thursday, where Zikalala requested to leave the premier position, which he attained in May 2019.
“The ANC accepted Cde. Zikalala’s resignation with pain and difficulty as he was still doing a great job in the province since he took over,” the statement said.
“We are grateful [for] the job he has done for the people of this province and we appreciate that he made a conscious decision not to leave office hastily.”
At the weekend, Zikalala met President Cyril Ramaphosa and told him he was quitting as premier of KZN.
Zikalala turns 49 on Saturday, a day after his resignation became public.
