Durban - Cosatu leader Zingiswa Losi has called on ANC supporters to “offload” corrupt leaders as they were crippling the governing party.
Losi was speaking at an ANC Women’s League eThekwini send-off prayer for Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa supporters attending the party’s 54th elective conference starting from Saturday.
“When you tune into the news, the first thing you hear about is ANC corruption; you hear about money being taken to Dubai.
“The problem with these skeletons is that they are dangerous, chasing away investors, causing the country to be downgraded and services to not reach the people,” she said.
Losi said “incorruptible” Ramaphosa and Senzo Mchunu, tipped to be secretary-general on the same slate, were leaders who should emerge victorious at the conference in order to carry the party to the 2019 general elections and beyond.
“Those are leaders who will open cupboards because we hear there are ‘smallanyana’ skeletons in the cupboard; we want leaders who will open that cupboard, expose the skeleton and its owners,” she explained.
Exposing corruption, according to Losi, would grow investment and bring stability to the South African economy, bringing hope to millions of unemployed.
Losi has been touted as a deputy secretary-general on the Ramaphosa slate.
She applauded Ramaphosa’s supporters in KZN, calling them “decisive, progressive forces”.
Despite a commanding victory for Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in KZN, many were surprised at the high number of nominations for her rival, Ramaphosa.
“The thieves said they will take 600 branches but you said 193 is ours.
“We also know that in the 433 branches they took, there are some who belong to us.
“In KZN people die; you have to be tactical and strategic about how you will go to the conference undetected, because you cannot make it to Nasrec if you raise your hand and nominate Cyril,” said Losi.
She also took the time to defend Ramaphosa against those who called him a capitalist and therefore unfit to lead.
“They have been swearing at Cosatu asking how we are supporting a capitalist they forget that this Cyril was a trade unionist; he was sent to business by the ANC, he is a capitalist product of the ANC; the ANC sent him they were testing the BEE policy of the ANC,” she added.