DA leader Helen Zille's planned inspection of President Jacob Zuma's home in Nkandla is similar to raids conducted by the apartheid government, the Eastern Cape ANC said on Friday
“To us, and surely to President Zuma and his family, this invasion will invigorate the scenes of illegal arrest, harassment of black people -invasion of homes of ANC leaders by apartheid stooges,” provincial African National Congress spokesman Mlibo Qoboshiyane said in a statement.
“More especially, this is likely to remind President Zuma of the harassment he endured during the apartheid era, especially his arrest near Zeerust.”
The KwaZulu-Natal ANC warned Zille on Friday to abandon her inspection or face violence from local residents.
“The ANC believes that the visit to the president's home will be a serious, direct attack on the president and his family,” the provincial ANC said in a statement.
“It goes without saying that people who reside at President Zuma's home have a right to protect themselves from anyone who invades their home.”
He said the Democratic Alliance ignored warnings not to march to the Congress of SA Trade Unions' (Cosatu) headquarters in Johannesburg in May, and as a result several members were injured in a confrontation with the trade union federation.
“We don't want to see the repeat of what happened at Cosatu House so we appeal to the DA to consider abandoning their plan.”
The DA said on Thursday it was planning to visit Zuma's private residence, where a R200 million upgrade was in progress.
Zille, accompanied by DA officials, would inspect roads around the property on Sunday and attempt to enter the compound.
The president's private home will reportedly feature underground bunkers, a clinic, a fire station, special quarters for police, and a helipad. Reports have estimated the cost of the work to be between R203 million and R238 million.
Zuma will reportedly pay only five percent of the bill - around R10 million. - Sapa