Durban - Black First Land First (BFLF) supporters said the movement would take part in the 2019 elections as they gathered outside the Durban High Court waiting for former president Jacob Zuma to appear on Friday.
He faces charges of money laundering, corruption and racketeering.
Thabi Myeni, secretary of the gender and sexuality unit of the BFLF, said they believed the ANC had done Zuma wrong and that the radical economic transformation faction in the ANC was the only one that “found the right path”.
“I believe they will get votes next year, but the BFLF also wants to run for elections and we’re going to run using these policies. We are going to push these policies that the ANC has left behind,” Myeni said.
The movement had a strong presence outside the court with many saying they had not slept as they were part of an all-night vigil for Zuma that started at Albert Park.
“The movement is here to support Zuma, who led the radical economic transformation agenda. He is being prosecuted by white monopoly capital for being black and pushing pro-black policies. He is being prosecuted for free education, for the mining charter, for taking business from white people.”
Nokuthula Msomi of KwaMashu, who attended the march in support of Zuma, said the former president had been vilified and she felt he was important to the ANC, particularly voters from KwaZulu-Natal, before next year’s elections.
She said Zuma had an ability to resonate with many of the province’s citizens and the way the ANC national executive committee had treated him by forcing him out of office, might come back to hurt it next year if Zuma’s backers decide not to vote for the party.
However, she said she would remain loyal to the ANC despite being against his removal as president.
“We came out in his support as party members and supporters in KwaZulu-Natal. It was a show of solidarity with him and to demonstrate our belief that we still need Zuma in the ANC leadership. But I won’t desert the ANC. I will vote for it next year,” said Msomi.
One woman, who ignored the ban on wearing ANC regalia, said she was still an ANC supporter and would vote for the party she supported her entire life.
“We are ANC members, so we will still vote for the party, but that doesn’t mean we cannot support our president,” she said.
An IFP member, Melwa Mzimela who bravely wore his party’s regalia to the court case, said he was there in support of all the people who were suffering in South Africa because of Zuma. He said all those there to support Zuma, supported corruption.