Johannesburg - ANC President Jacob Zuma has lashed out at ANC stalwarts saying some are not as strong as seem.
During his opening address at the ANC Policy Conference, Zuma said the stalwarts acted as if they are their own organisation by calling for a consultative conference separate from the ANC policy conference.
The Stalwarts had asked the ANC leadership to hold a consultative conference to discuss the crisis that was facing the organisation, but the ANC refused and instead opted for an extended policy conference.
On Thursday, the Stalwarts said they would boycott the conference as they did not believe the issues of concern could be ironed out.
— Zintle (@ZintleMahlati) June 30, 2017
Zuma: stalwarts wanted their own conference, its very funny, they communicate with us through the media. #ANCPC @IOL
— Zintle (@ZintleMahlati) June 30, 2017
Zuma: we had a discussion with the stalwarts, even though they didn't go through proper processes. #ANCPC @IOL
— Zintle (@ZintleMahlati) June 30, 2017
Zuma said some of the Stalwarts had written to him, and one had asked him to come see him in hospital.
"We had a discussion with the Stalwarts even though they did not follow proper processes. They wanted their own conference, they think they have power," said Zuma.
Zuma also did not hold back in critiquing what he views as opposition parties' attempts to govern through the courts.
He told ANC delegates to discussis the matter during policy discussions.
"We are argue in Parliament and they go to the courts. Is that the democracy we wanted to build?," asks Zuma.
"Why must we spend money going to the courts when we have a democracy?"
Zuma also called for delegtes to discuss solutions for the ANC to renew itself.
"We have spent time diagnosing the problem now we have to find solutions, " said Zuma.
He said to restore unity, the party had to cleanse itself of negative tendencies caused by factionalism.