Attempts to stop some delegates at the ANC’s policy conference from singing songs in defence of former president Jacob Zuma have fallen on deaf ears, with the KwaZulu-Natal province saying they will not be gagged.
The Star understands that on the first day of the conference some delegates were told not to sing “Wenzeni uZuma” a song that was sang throughout the KZN elective conference.
The provincial secretary of that province, Bheki Mtolo told The Star that the province would continue singing in defence of the former president.
“The plan to isolate Zuma is not going to work, he is a former president of the ANC. He is loved by the people and in his last elections he gave the ANC 62%,” Mtolo said.
Mtolo said there was an obsession with the former president by some leaders in the ANC. He said Zuma was also loved in other provinces such as Gauteng.
“You can do a walk about around and ask people about Zuma. They love him and he does not impose himself on people. At the end of the Gauteng congress they sang about Zuma,” Mtolo said.
Mtolo said there were other provinces who were now realising that KZN as a province was being sidelines and that the step aside rule was being used against certain leaders.
“There is a deliberate effort to isolate KZN form the rest of the country and it will not work. People are starting to see that KZN is being targeted and they sympathise with KZN. Limpopo and Gauteng are starting to see this,” Mtolo said.