Johannesburg - A move by businesswoman Mamphela Ramphele to form a party political platform was flawed, the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) said on Monday.
“As Sanco, we say to Dr Mamphela Ramphele, welcome to the world of reality,” it said in a statement.
“Now that she has opened herself up to scrutiny, we are justified to point out a few concerns about her and her ambitions.”
Sanco said Ramphele's decision was based on “seriously flawed” assumptions by political commentators.
“We believe that their flawed opinions, born of white capitalist influence... are based on whims, not proper research,” it said.
“We believe that these political analysts... think that a certain number of service delivery protests (and) attacks on ANC leadership by other disgruntled individuals, are key pointers that the ANC-led movement is collapsing. All of you are wrong.”
Ramphele announced her “party political platform” on Monday.
She called it Agang SA, which means “build South Africa” in Sepedi.
Ramphele said she intended using it to contest the 2014 national elections.
Sanco said Ramphele and her “elitist following” underestimated the grassroots of African National Congress loyalists.
It also questioned whether she had held a teaching position at the University of Cape Town (UCT) before being promoted to vice-chancellor.
“Some insiders at the UCT, we are told, say it took seven years to correct the bungles left behind by your leadership in that institution,” it said.
“They say the biggest blunder or disaster you left behind was the amalgamation of all the arts and social science schools into one big monster that was unmanageable.”
It said she served only one four-year term at the World Bank, and that her appointment was the result of “political correctness”.
“Welcome to the world of reality politics. We can safely say that the life-span of your party will be as short as your numerous stints at various institutions,” Sanco said. - Sapa