Johannesburg - The ANC Youth League wants Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande suspended from the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) for opening the succession debate in defiance of the party’s resolutions.
The call came amid increasing reports that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was ready to do battle with AU Commission chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in 2017 to replace President Jacob Zuma as ANC leader.
Lobbying for Ramaphosa to become the next leader is said to have begun in the tripartite alliance, which includes Cosatu and the SACP.
This is the second time that the ANCYL has called for Nzimande’s axing - the first was during student fee protests, but the league later withdrew its demand.
On Tuesday, ANCYL spokesman Mlondi Mkhize said Nzimande had insinuated at a recent KwaZulu-Natal provincial general council that the SACP was tired of defending Zuma. “He said they are tired of defending this man (Zuma) on Nkandla and the R4 billion jet purchase,” Mkhize said.
“We call on those who are concerned about the ANC’s 2017 conference to raise these matters in structures of the organisation. All members should desist from discussing leadership at national level, for this matter is closed.
“We call on the ANC to suspend all those who want to open the leadership question in line with the ANC resolution, particularly those that are part of the ANC NEC.”
He added that the league encouraged all alliance partners to raise concerns internally and refrain from passing comments that might create space for public spats among leaders, “as that will be playing into the hands of the enemy”.
The league said it was “combat ready” to defend Zuma and the ANC leadership.
It lashed out at the Young Communist League (YCL) leadership for apparently claiming that the chair of the so-called premier league - a reference to a political bloc of premiers of the Free State, Mpumalanga and North West - lived in Nkandla.
The ANCYL said it did not take kindly to such remarks.
“We call on them (the SACP and YCL) to stop saying they are tired of defending the president of the ANC on Nkandla and on the R4bn jet which has not been bought by the state. We are capable of defending our own leadership,” said Mkhize.
“To the SACP and YCL: the doors for engagement are open for any matters.”
Alex Mashilo of the SACP dismissed the ANCYL’s claims on what Nzimande had said was “rubbish”.
He said Nzimande was not the first to open the succession debate because there were others who had been calling for a woman president.
“Everybody in this country knows who opened the succession talk,” Mashilo added.
His sentiments were echoed by KwaZulu-Natal SACP secretary Themba Mthembu, who accused the ANCYL of “infantile disorder”.
Mthembu said it was a pity that the league had declined its invitation to attend the conference and were resorting to picking up wrong information. “We can issue an audio clip of what the general secretary said. It is in fact contrary to what they are saying,” Mthembu said.
Meanwhile, the ANCYL urged former ANC KZN chairperson Senzo Mchunu to condemn those who marched in his name to demand that results of the province’s conference be annulled. Mchunu was defeated by Sihle Zikalala, but thousands of Mchunu’s supporters are challenging the credibility of the conference.
The Star
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