#Elections2016: Zuma calls on God and ancestors

File photo: He relied on speaking about the sacrifice of Struggle heroes such as the likes of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and the three surviving Rivonia triallists, Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mlangeni and Denis Goldberg. Picture by: Sibonelo Ngcobo

File photo: He relied on speaking about the sacrifice of Struggle heroes such as the likes of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and the three surviving Rivonia triallists, Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mlangeni and Denis Goldberg. Picture by: Sibonelo Ngcobo

Published Jul 30, 2016

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Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has told potential voters that the sure way to fall out of divine favour is to vote for an independent candidate or for any party other than his.

The ANC president was on the campaign trail in Soweto on Friday and was pulling out all the stops to punt the ruling party.

He relied on speaking about the sacrifice of Struggle heroes such as the likes of Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu and the three surviving Rivonia triallists, Ahmed Kathrada, Andrew Mlangeni and Denis Goldberg.

He also hauled out the ol’ “The ANC will rule until Jesus returns” sloganeering and reminded jubilant supporters of the ANC members sentenced to death under apartheid rule.

“It was ANC members who went into exile, trained as soldiers to fight the apartheid regime. It is for this reason that when Jesus comes back, he will still find the ANC in power,” Zuma said in isiZulu.

He made the comments while urging supporters to vote only for the ANC and no other party, including independent candidates contesting the elections on Wednesday.

Zuma’s claims of ANC members being the first to die under apartheid imprisonment is contradicted by historical archives, including those in the possession of the Department of Justice and Correctional Services.

According to historical archives, it was PAC founder member Jeff Masemola who was the first person under apartheid to be sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island in 1963.

In 1963, Masemola along with now-retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke and 13 others were charged with conspiracy to commit sabotage.

According to archives, PAC members were also the first to be sentenced to death in 1960 for their roles in the Poqo Uprisings.

Mandela and his co-accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964.

Zuma, though, didn’t let the facts stand in the way of grandstanding statements.

He also took direct aim at arch enemy, DA leader Musi Maimane. “Do not vote for stooges,” he said, referring to Maimane whose party was coincidentally also in Soweto ahead of their “We Can Win” rally at the Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday.

“He is politically naive. He does not know Madiba’s views on the DA. Why is he using Madiba as his party’s icon? Why can’t he call the names of party veterans like Vorster, Verwoerd, PW Botha and others?”

Maimane and his fellow black members were “confused and do not know whether they were black or white.”

He also took a swipe at UDM leader Bantu Holomisa, EFF leader Julius Malema and Cope’s Mosiuoa Lekota for defecting from the ANC.

He described Malema as ill-disciplined and was scathing against Lekota. “At times when I look at Lekota in Parliament, he does not appear normal. We were hiding certain dodgy characters within the ANC.”

Saturday Star

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