Johannesburg - The ANC and its alliance partners on Tuesday lambasted those who attacked the ruling party and its leadership over Nkandla.
“There is an agenda set by the media, owned by capital, to come down on the ANC,” African National Congress Gauteng executive committee member Uhuru Moiloa said at a Nehawu shop stewards council in Johannesburg.
“They (are) projecting this leadership as corrupt.”
He said security upgrades to President Jacob Zuma's private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal were a necessary investment.
“There is nothing wrong with the republic and its security forces deciding to secure the properties of the president. The president of the ANC has not used public money,” Moiloa said.
He assured National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) shop stewards that the ANC was still a liberation movement committed to the struggle of the working class.
Moiloa defended the Congress of SA Trade Unions.
“No one will close shop for Cosatu,” he said.
“It is easy for people to talk today about splitting Cosatu... (but) Cosatu is the brand of trials and tribulations.”
Cosatu has been at loggerheads with its biggest affiliate the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) over the suspension of the trade union federation's general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Numsa and Vavi have taken Cosatu to court in a bid to have the suspension set aside. A judgment in the case is expected soon.
Nehawu deputy president Joe Mpisi said his union would do everything to save Cosatu.
“These renegades who are causing problems in Cosatu... we must confront them. Nehawu will do everything to save the heart and soul of Cosatu.”
Sapa