Cape Town - ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s first foray into Cape Town on the campaign trail drew a boisterous, but small, crowd in Nyanga, where she told supporters that whoever lost the ANC’s succession race should submit to the new leadership.
“There is one thing we need to be clear about. Whoever wins in December must lead and embrace everyone.The person who loses must follow,” she said.
Amid divisions within the ANC and the tripartite alliance over her visit, close to 800 ANC supporters gathered at the Zolani Centre in Nyanga for Dlamini Zuma’s address on Sunday as part of the ANC Youth League’s 73rd anniversary celebrations.
There was also a group of MK veterans, who sang Struggle songs outside the hall.
Following reports that she would be sworn in as an MP this week, Dlamini Zuma said she was ready to serve wherever the ANC wanted.
Nonceba Mhlauli, the spokesperson for ANC chief whip Jackson Mthembu, said the date for Dlamini Zuma’s swearing-in was not yet known.
According to reports leaked to the media, Dlamini Zuma’s move to Parliament is in preparation for yet another reshuffling of the cabinet by President Jacob Zuma.
She is set to replace Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, who as general secretary of the SACP, has repeatedly called for Zuma to go in light of the state capture allegations.
In her address on Sunday, Dlamini Zuma reminded the ANCYL that the Struggle for liberation was led mostly by young people, who needed to be honoured.
“Many young people struggled and died for this country. They made an immense contribution. We remember and salute Sandiso Magaqa, who was killed by cruel assassination.
"Remember Steve Biko. We must know that this freedom must be fought for,” she said.
Dlamini Zuma told her supporters that they should look at society’s needs and act on that. However, she provided few solutions for the country’s mounting social problems.
She also said: “If the leagues are strong the ANC will be strong. Let us unite in action. Our young people must go to school. They must have education and skills, and complement the skills revolution. It is important to have these skills.”
Dlamini Zuma touched on the catch phrase “radical economic transformation”.
“Our economy must grow, and black people must be a part of it. The demands of our time need skills so that young people can drive this country.
"Black people must drive it and women must be leading. The demand is that we cannot continue like this, rich in all sorts of minerals, but the majority are poor.
“We must solve that paradox of a rich South Africa and poor South Africa. The demand is that we can’t continue with two cities in Cape Town. There is a city which is rich and the other which is poor.”
ANC Dullah Omar region (Cape Metro) chairperson Xolani Sotashe, referring to the divisions, said: “We know that there are groups who wanted to disrupt this gathering.
"It can’t be that there are ‘no-go’ areas in the ANC. It just can’t be. We all must be given a chance to campaign wherever we can.”