Johannesburg - National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete has warned of chaos and instability in the country if President Jacob Zuma were to be removed from power.
“I don’t support chaos and disruption, unless I know what you are talking about and I agree with it,” said Mbete, when asked if she would support a national executive committee (NEC) decision to recall Zuma, if that happened.
Mbete was speaking to The Star on the sidelines of the SA Human Rights Commission’s two- day conference that ends in Midrand on Tuesday.
The one-time deputy president, under Kgalema Motlanthe’s brief administration, is widely seen as being close to Zuma and has been accused by opposition parties of protecting the president in Parliament.
Last year, Mbete lashed out at “disloyal and selfish” ANC MPs who she accused of being part of a plot to oust Zuma, who is also president of the ruling party.
On Monday, Mbete gave the strongest indication yet that she would not support any motion to recall Zuma, even if it came from the powerful NEC of the ANC, on which she sits.
She said, when pressed for comment on her reported backing for Zuma: “Chief, I think you will come to the ANC press (media) briefings and they will tell you, and by that time you will know whether I support whatever you are asking me.”
On recent criticisms by ANC leaders of Zuma’s style of leadership, Mbete cautioned against any criticism of the president “without fully being steeped on the basis on which those criticisms... were presented, or expressed”.
She, however, seemed uncritical of party veteran Enoch Godongwana, who last week lashed out at Zuma’s administration and leadership style.
Godongwana also called on the masses to march against Zuma’s “nonsensical” government.
Mbete said the chairman of the ANC economic transformation committee was merely stating undisputed facts. She said Godongwana was merely putting “a view that says we need a government that’s going to implement ANC policies', and I agree with him”.
Godongwana’s remarks were not criticism of any individual, as “he is saying that government must implement ANC policies”, said Mbete, before she was whisked away.
@luyolomkentane
The Star