Women's league hits back at 'immoral' Zuma critics

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa

Published Apr 25, 2017

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The ANC Women’s League has blasted President Jacob Zuma’s critics within the ruling party, saying the airing of the organisation’s dirty laundry in public by some leaders was “immoral”.

This after prominent tripartite alliance leaders at the weekend used the Eastern Cape to launch the strongest rebuke of Zuma yet, with some warning that the country was being “stolen” under his watch.

In his boldest speech to date, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa called for a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the influence of the Guptas, Zuma’s friends, on cabinet appointments and government contracts.

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe spoke out against the party showing the “middle finger” to those marching for Zuma’s resignation, a response to the president’s position that the protests were racist.

SACP leader Blade Nzimamnde also launched a blistering attack on Zuma and the Guptas at the weekend.

Zuma’s backers are demanding that his opponents account for speaking about party issues in public.

In an interview with The Star yesterday, ANC Women’s League deputy president Sisi Ntombela lashed out at the leaders, saying she wondered whether they were still “real comrades”.

“People can say whatever they want, but President Zuma is still the president of the republic and the ANC. We are definitely going to respect him, we are definitely going to support him until 2019,” she said.

Ntombela was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the Maluti-A-Phofung special economic zone, presided over by Zuma in Harrismith, Free State, yesterday. (see Page 11)

The president is facing growing calls from within and outside the tripartite alliance to step down, especially after the country’s downgrade to junk status.

Ntombela hit out: “It can’t be right for ANC cadres to march against their president. It is immoral, in fact. If you are a real cadre and you understand what is happening in the ANC, you can’t do that.”

The ANCWL wants former AU Commission chairwoman Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to succeed Zuma when he steps down as ANC leader in December.

“We are just disappointed to see our own comrades doing such things,” said Ntombela. “They should raise those issues internally.”

ANC national executive committee member Lindiwe Zulu said those who spoke outside party structures would need to account for themselves.

“All those leaders will have to answer for themselves why they said those things in public. “The ANC has made it clear how we are supposed to engage on issues,” she said.

Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who is also being punted to replace Zuma, told ANC supporters during an event to rename a branch near King William’s Town that the current ANC leadership might live to regret their term in office.

Sisulu said the ANC leadership had no right to hand over a disfigured and besmirched party to the next generation.

Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, who spoke at a memorial lecture for former SACP leader Chris Hani alongside Ramaphosa in Uitenhange, said “you have a country being stolen in front of our eyes”.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Ronnie Mamoepa, said the deputy president’s lecture sought to give leadership and direction on issues that were in the public domain and were part of the public discourse.

“Critically, the comments are consistent in the ruling party’s policy positions as enunciated in the January 8 statement that urged its members to commit themselves against such tendencies as factionalism, corruption, vote buying, and to reaffirm themselves to unity and cohesion of the ruling party,” Mamoepa said.

SACP second deputy general secretary Solly Mapaila said last night that it was “shocking” that some comrades “can’t see what is happening in the movement”.

He commended the leaders who had spoken out, saying they were within their rights to do so.

But ANC Youth League national spokesman Mlondi Mkhize said speaking out in public was a sign of ill discipline.

“We are calling on the ANC to rein in all those comrades who have displayed any sign of ill discipline as we move towards our elective conference in December,” he said.

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