Zuma is fighting back
Get ready for turbulent months ahead, with the possibility of bloodshed.
Protesters hold placards as they join a mass protest calling for President Jacob Zuma to step down, 7 April 2017, in Johannesburg. President Zuma is facing growing backlash against his recent government reshuffle and axing of the finance minister. Picture: Michel Bega
Remarks by President Jacob Zuma this weekend at the unveiling of a tombstone for the late minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane about certain leaders using dead people to fight their political battles was proof he is fighting back, according to political analyst Professor Andre Duvenhage.
Speaking to The Citizen yesterday, Duvenhage said Zuma, who has been under tremendous pressure since he made his unpopular Cabinet reshuffle which saw then finance minister Pravin Gordhan axed, shows that he is prepared to fight back against his opponents from both inside and outside the ANC.
“I think after the ANC’s national working committee [NWC] meeting, which has seen the likes of Gwede Mantashe, Cyril Ramaphosa and Zweli Mkhize being silent, Zuma will be more confident now than he was a week ago.
“I have no doubt that he will make use of this window of opportunity to promote his own interest.
“We will begin to hear more about his preferred presidential candidate in Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, with the so-called premier league, consisting of the likes of Supra Mahumapelo and Ace Magashule, coming to the fore.
“But the anti-Zuma groupings can also be expected to regroup and take Zuma on.”
According to Duvenhage, the next couple of months ahead of the ANC’s elective conference, scheduled for the end of this year, are likely to remain unstable with the possibility of bloodshed.
Speaking at Chabane’s tombstone unveiling on Saturday, Zuma said there was a new culture where funerals and memorial services of comrades were being used by some to fight their political battles. Without mentioning names, Zuma said it was wrong to do so and that it would never be right, no matter how people felt.
“You can’t use a comrade when he can no longer talk for himself … you can’t; that’s dangerous and terrible politics.
“I’m happy that not a single speaker here [referring to Chabane’s tombstone unveiling], did so, because whoever could have done so, I would have stood up and come to the podium and said, ‘Sorry, that’s never done.’ Those people who do that are lucky, because I’m not there when they do that, because you can’t do something like that,” he said.
Addressing ANC Youth League members in Durban on Saturday, ANC NEC member Fikile Mbalula hit back at those calling for Zuma to resign.
“Mmusi Maimane is a hypocrite of the worse order, together with those he marched with, because they want to subvert democracy and we are not a dictatorship.
“The so-called Save SA movement, which stands for misleading South Africa, has failed dismally in their actions,” he said.
Mbalula also took a swipe at Gordhan, who has not been mincing his words at various memorial services held in honour of fallen ANC stalwart Ahmed Kathrada, saying the former finance minister must not use the name of the ANC to “promote anarchy”.
On the contrary, he should form his own political party if he is fed up with the ANC.
Mbalula also hit out at the ANC’s 101 stalwarts who said Zuma must step down, as he had now crossed the line, according to them.
“There is no group 101, masquerading as veterans, that is going to dispose of an elected leader of the ANC … never,” Mbalula added.
– stevent@citizen.co.za
