Cape Town - Former president Jacob Zuma said on Thursday that he was not surprised by Julius Malema's claims that Derek Hanekom lobbied the EFF to help to oust him.
Zuma tweeted on Thursday: "I'm not surprised by (Julius Malema's) revelations regarding Derek Hanekom. It is part of the plan I mentioned at the Zondo Commission. Derek Hanekom is a known enemy agent."
Dropping the political bomb on Tuesday, Malema claimed that Hanekom and Solly Mapaila, first deputy-general secretary of the SACP, lobbied them to help oust Zuma and even shared a list of ANC MPs who were prepared to vote with them.
On Wednesday Hanekom denied that he shared names with the EFF, saying he only met them and challenged them to produce an audio recording of the meeting.
He said he had no idea why Malema suddenly on Tuesday decided to make the confidential meeting public.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/Julius_S_Malema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Julius_S_Malemarevelations regarding @Derek_Hanekom. It is part of the plan I mentioned at the Zondo Commission. @Derek_Hanekom is a known enemy agent.
— Jacob G Zuma (@PresJGZuma)
In a text message that was circulated widely on social media on Wednesday, Hanekom said it was no secret that there was a number of discussions with opposition parties to force Zuma out.
“I had coffee with Godrich Gardee (EFF’s secretary general) twice at the Eastgate Mugg and Bean. Maybe even three times. I did not give him a list of ANC names nor did I say that Pravin and I were discussing the formation of a new party,” he wrote to the SABC.
Hanekom later also responded to whether the revelations should also see him being dragged to the commission probing allegations that there are party members who helped to form smaller breakaway parties ahead of the May general elections, saying he had nothing to answer for.
“No, this had nothing to do with forming any party. There is nothing to explain. There is nothing wrong with members of different parties meet(ing) with each other. He (Malema) initiated it,” Hanekom said in response.
Earlier this month Zuma told the Zondo Commission inquiry into state capture about an alleged decades-long campaign of character assassination in an attempt to "get rid" of him.
“Some say this old man is angry,” he said at the time. “All I’m saying is people must be very careful. When I say, I will say things about them - I mean it.”
He warned his detractors that he would reveal information about more “spies” in the ruling party, after claiming his former Cabinet ministers Siphiwe Nyanda and Ngoako Ramatlhodi were double agents in the apartheid-era.
“They will think I am mad when I reveal them one by one,” he told the commission.