WATCH: Zuma a ‘totally abusive’ individual – Trevor Manuel (VIDEO)

Former finance minister Trevor Manuel has joined the chorus of criticising former President Jacob Zuma, describing him as a “totally abusive” individual who has taken the African National Congress (ANC) Umkhonto we Sizwe logo and used it against the governing party.

Over the weekend, former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela warned South Africa against voting for corrupt politicians in next month’s polls, saying that if the likes of Zuma were brought back to public office they’d bring the country into total collapse.

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The elections, scheduled for 29 May, are expected to be the most hotly contested polls since the dawn of democracy 30 years ago.

Zuma abusive

Manuel told EWN the ANC had lived through many breakaways, but the MK party splinter was very deliberate.

“Whether it be the things that he was charged for- like rape, things that he wasn’t charged for but enabled- like corruption, or how he broke down the systems of government; all of it speaks to an individual who is totally abusive.”

Manuel’s comments come as the ANC and MK party wait for the judgment in the governing party’s trademark case.

ALSO READ: Madonsela warns voting for ‘corrupt politicians like Zuma’ will bring SA to total collapse

Don’t vote for Zuma

Madonsela said if the likes of Zuma were to be brought back to public office, they’d bring the country into “total collapse”.

Watch Madonsela’s speaking about Zuma and the Gupta

Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela is warning South Africa against voting for corrupt politicians at next month's general elections. Madonsela says if the likes of former president Jacob Zuma were to be brought back to public office, they'd bring the country into total… pic.twitter.com/C3feYHseNO

— eNCA (@eNCA) April 14, 2024

“For me, it sounds bizarre as somebody who was in the ANC and knowing that MK is not owned by any person. Just from an ethical point of view, I’m shocked by President Zuma.

“I’m also shocked by the decision of the IEC to decide that if a court of law decided that his sentence is 15 months by the remission of sentence, the president has not overruled a court of law and his sentence is shorter.”

“It reminds me of a time under apartheid when Parliament created a higher code of Parliament to overrule the Supreme Court of South Africa.

“For us as South Africans, we should not forget that he is a person who has refused to obey the Constitution. We should not forget that he is a person who sold the country to the Guptas and repurposed many of our state entities to do the work and enrich his family and the family of the Guptas,” Madonsela said.

Tarnishing Zuma’s name

The MK party told The Citizen, Madonsela’s target was to tarnish the Zuma.

“We are not surprised that she is again lying on public media saying former President Zuma sold the country to the Guptas without mentioning the price, how much they bought it back from the Guptas for, and who bought it back.”

Earlier this month, Zuma emphasised that he had lingering matters from his time in office, contending that he never finished his second term as president.

ALSO READ: ‘Law breakers should not be lawmakers’: Ngcukaitobi argues that Zuma does not qualify for Parliament