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By Bernice Maune

Journalist


WATCH: The moment Zikalala called Ramaphosa ‘desperate’

Divisions within the ANC appear to be widening ahead of the ANC conference set to take place next week Saturday at Nasrec.


Chairperson of the KZN ANC, Sihle Zikalala cemented his position in the camp of presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma when he publicly lambasted Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in Durban today.

Dlamini-Zuma and Ramaphosa are the two candidates who are set to go head to head for the presidency of the ANC.

 

Speaking on the comments made by Ramaphosa in an interview with 702, Zikalala slammed Ramaphosa for saying he believed President Jacob Zuma’s rape accuser, Khwezi Kuzwayo.

“But at the same time I have to pay heed to what Khwezi said in court,” Ramaphosa said. When pressed further, Ramaphosa said he knew how difficult it was for a woman to gather the courage to admit to rape. “Yes, I would believe her,” Ramaphosa said.

Speaking to a large crowd, Zikalala asked why Ramaphosa kept quiet all along as Khwezi had made the allegations in 2005 and Zuma was acquitted of the rape that year.

“If comrade Cyril saw that Khwezi was talking the truth, why then did he remain silent?
Why is it that he is only speaking about it now? Cyril’s desperation does not surprise me,” said Zikalala.

Watch the video

Meanwhile ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini suggested that Ramaphosa had ‘experience’ in inflicting abuse on women.

“The deputy president of the ANC, comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, spoke about president Jacob Zuma … and we want to say, ‘comrade Cyril, comrade deputy president, if you want to speak out about violence against women and children, talk about yourself’.”

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