DURBAN - ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma yesterday warned of a massive revolt by “young lions” if the government did not deliver on their demand for radical economic transformation.
Dlamini Zuma, former African Union Commission chairperson, issued the warning during closing remarks at the ANC Women’s League eThekwini regional conference in Durban.
The young lions are the ANC Youth League members, who together with the ANCWL, have supported Dlamini Zuma to be the next party and national president with a hope that she would deliver the radical economic transformation.
President Jacob Zuma, who has called for speedy economic transformation, is known to support his ex-wife to be next at the helm.
Dlamini Zuma said it was wrong that a few white companies were monopolising the mining, retail, financial, construction and telecommunication sectors, and that the companies dominating there could be “counted in your head”.
“If we don’t change that situation, the young lions will revolt. There will be a revolution.
“It is not the choice we have. It is an imperative if we want stability to remain in this country.”
She said the current economic system was dangerous and “unsustainable”.
“You cannot have a country where the majority are not part of the mainstream economy.” She said the ANC should “urgently” look at how it can change the ownership to “include everyone without excluding anyone”.
“We are saying it must include more blacks, more young and more female ownership.
“We must systematically create more black industrialists, open the financial sector to include more and diverse banks, just as the Women’s League conference resolved that a women’s development bank should be created.”
She said the women’s development bank would increase women’s access to development financing.
Dlamini Zuma lashed out at those who had spoken openly about problems facing the ANC.
Although she did not mention names, former president Kgalema Motlanthe last week used the funeral of Struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada to call for President Jacob Zuma to step down.
Others, such as ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Kathrada’s widow, Barbara Hogan, criticised Zuma for firing several ministers and deputies, including former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and his former deputy, Mcebisi Jonas.
Dlamini Zuma said as a democratic movement, the ANC had internal platforms to raise challenges and disagreements.
“We debate and debate, but once we have come to a view, and all of us, irrespective of what your position was at the beginning of the debate, once the decision has been taken we must defend that decision.
“The ANCWL is continuing, and must continue, to show that discipline, and make sure that we put the interests of the organisation first before our individual selves,” she said.