Johannesburg - ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has accused Zimbabwe’s Zanu-PF of using Julius Malema’s party to destabilise the ANC in Limpopo.
Mantashe also accused Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) of distorting the Freedom Charter.
He was addressing political journalists and their editors during an ANC monthly political briefing in Joburg on Monday.
Mantashe said the EFF’s call for grabbing land without compensation and the nationalisation of mines had been influenced by Zanu-PF.
He said the EFF had adopted Zanu-PF’s policy despite the fact that Robert Mugabe’s party had destroyed the Zimbabwean economy.
“The EFF has the influence of Zanu-PF. There have been active engagements between its leaders and with Zanu-PF. Zanu-PF is using them to destabilise the ANC in Limpopo.
“Zanu-PF destroyed the economy of their country. In 1980, the value of the Zim dollar was R1.50 and today it has no value. It is a massive destruction of the economy. I do not want South Africa’s economy to collapse,” Mantashe said.
He also lambasted Malema for allegedly distorting the ANC policy on land, saying the Freedom Charter never advocated nationalisation of mines and land grabs without compensation.
“The Freedom Charter never wanted to take land by force. The charter states that the land is owned by all those who work it. We never propagated the nationalisation of mines. It is not what the Freedom Charter is saying,” Mantashe said.
He said the ANC would not encourage a Zimbabwean-style land grab but would rather allocate farming land to people who had a passion for farming.
“We are not going to give people farms who will in future just use these farms as places for weekend braais. We are going to give land to peasants who are going to use the farms to succeed,” he said.
While he took a swipe at Malema, Mantashe was quick to point out that the ANC was taking seriously every other political party which would contest next year’s elections.
He also said South Africans had the right to form political parties and join parties of their own choice.
Mantashe said his party was looking forward to the establishment of its proposed task team to be set up by President Jacob Zuma. One of its priorities would be to stabilise the mining industry.
The Star
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