Former president Jacob Zuma who ruffled the feathers of the ANC loyalists by publicly declaring that he won’t vote for the ruling after forming MK party with his anti-President Cyril Ramaphosa’s allies is in hot water.
Zuma will know his fate that he will still be a member of the liberation party which was formed in 1912 after the much-anticipated official meeting on Thursday.
President Ramaphosa and his ANC troops, secretary general Fikile Mbalula, national chairperson and ANCWL president Sisisi Tolashe all took a swipe at Zuma for his rebellious counter-revolutionary anti-ANC conduct.
During the cutting cake ceremony of celebrating 112 years of the ANC at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on Monday, Ramaphosa said he remains unfazed by the mushrooming of political parties in the country stressing that the ruling has proved to be the strongest party for that past 30 years.
Ramaphosa’s rival expelled former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule also launched a new political party. The African Congress for Transformation (ACT) was founded by Magashule and fired Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza.
Tolashe said those who want to leave the ANC are welcome to leave as they joined it voluntarily.
Ramaphosa who said the ANC “fears fokol” as the so called “Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck” organisations will not amount to anything the ANC has done. He said this to assure ANC members that the party which will celebrate its birthday during the much-awaited January 8 statement rally at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on Saturday is blooming and whole.
"Those who think the ANC can be airbrushed out of existence, can be booted out easily, are dreaming because it's not going to happen. It's only dreams. All these Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck organisations will not be able to unite a cross-section of South Africans like the ANC," he said.
Without mentioning names Ramaphosa said its renewal programme had successfully dismissed out members who were putting the ANC into disrepute.
"The process of dysfunctionality and disunity in the ANC was making us weak and now I can testify that we are much stronger now. Those who used to disrespect the ANC haven't seen anything yet, but they will see for themselves because we are much stronger now,” said Ramaphosa.
"We must, as the ANC, remain rooted in our communities, for we were founded to serve our communities. And it is for this reason that the ANC has been and will continue to strengthen its efforts to ground our organisation where it truly belongs."
Mantashe said former president Jacob Zuma who formed the newly MK party has ejected himself from the ruling party of Nelson Mandela’s fame therefore there is no need to entertain him.
He also reiterated Mbalula’s stance on the issue of Zuma's expulsion, that there was no need to take action against Zuma as he had already walked away on his own.
“There is no need to expel Zuma, he has walked away. There is nothing you can do with someone who has walked away,” said Mantashe.
He also labelled Zuma’s MK party as a rebel movement and said what was important was that it was not an armed rebellion.
Mbalula said Zuma is defective following his constant disparagement of President Cyril Ramaphosa and his administration.
Mbalula who bullet-proofed Ramaphosa after Zuma censured him on Phalaphala farm said Zuma has subjected himself to amnesia after the ANC protected him during his R246 million taxpayers' money Nkandla gate scandal.
Mbalula said this during his visit in Mpumalanga as the ANC prepares itself to celebrate its 112 years during the much-anticipated January 8 Statement, which is scheduled for Saturday at Mbombela Stadium.
He revealed how the ANC justified Zuma’s controversial R3.9m pool as a security feature, during his speech in Barberton at Mpumalanga.
“We defended former president Zuma, even going to Parliament and saying that a swimming pool is a fire pool,” he said in a clip doing the rounds in the media.
“The Constitutional Court, chaired by Mogoeng Mogoeng, issued a judgment against Jacob Zuma, but the ANC stood by him. Zuma now says he can’t stand President Ramaphosa.”
Mbalula's remarks on Sunday landed him in hot water as he received a lot of criticism from various stake holders including opposition parties.
Zuma took his fight to privately prosecute his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
However, the High Court in Johannesburg reviewed and set aside the private prosecution.
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