By Moshoeshoe Monare
ANC chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota says many ambitious, poor-quality "comrades" occupy government positions, and some steal public funds because politics doesn't pay.
Speaking at the commemoration of former ANC leader Peter Nchabeleng in Limpopo on Saturday, Lekota said: "Many of the comrades occupy positions which they don't understand, but those positions should have been occupied by men and women of quality. They came here thinking they would make money and drive BMW X5 and Benz.
"Those positions are there for people who want to go and work for the people. If you want to be rich, don't come and be a councillor, an MEC, a cabinet minister.
"The money that we are getting is sufficient to make us live comfortably so that we serve the people, but we can't be rich. That's why so many of those who are in these government positions are trying to steal - because they come here thinking they will make wealth. When they realise that that's impossible, they steal it."
He also warned that unless the ANC focused on serving the needs of the people, it would be out of power soon.
He narrated a story of a Zimbabwean who had pleaded with him, saying they must save the ANC for the sake of Africa. Zanu-PF had never prepared for "tomorrow" and now did not have the support of the masses.
"That tomorrow will arrive for the ANC, if the ANC fails to service the needs and interests of the people.
"Somebody said the ANC will be in power for ever. Nonsense. The ANC will be in power as long as the ANC serves the interests of the people," he said.
Lekota clearly disagreed with ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma, who once said the ANC would rule until Jesus came again.
"The day the ANC is not serving the interests of the people - the day the mistakes we are making are more than the good things we do for the people - the ANC will be on its way out of power.
"One day we will go to the elections and people will vote for someone else, and when the votes are counted, we will be shocked."
Lekota said the contentious ANC conference in December had to ensure that the organisation remained the party of the people.
"That conference must not be about who is going to be elected the leader. It must be about what is in the interests of the people of this country, what is it that the ANC needs to do to uplift the conditions of the people," he said, adding that ANC branches had to monitor delivery and question provincial under-spending.
The commemoration was also attended by businessman and presidential hopeful Tokyo Sexwale, who said the South African revolution could fail if the bickering and insults traded among ANC leaders continued.
Both leaders chastised the poor quality of communism, saying it was not what communists such as Nchabeleng had stood for.
Lekota said wearing a red T-shirt did not mean people understood communism.