President Cyril Ramaphosa. Photo: The Citizen/Neil McCartney
The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has come to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s defence following scathing criticism by three former presidents of the country, who were critical of him and the governing party this weekend.
Ramaphosa’s predecessors – former presidents Thabo Mbeki, Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma – expressed their disapproval of the state of the country and the ANC under Ramaphosa’s leadership.
In a statement on Sunday, the ANC in KZN called on the former presidents to “exercise restraint” and express their criticism within the internal structures of the party.
“The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has noted a very strange occurrence wherein the above leaders are attacking the sitting ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC publicly. Clearly, such an exercise is eroding the standing of the organisation in society.
“Whilst we respect their rights, as enshrined in the constitution, of the freedom of speech, we respectfully request our leaders to exercise restraint.
“We call upon leaders of our movement to use the right channel to raise whatever frustration they have with the ANC instead of attacking the ANC, its government and its leadership in public,” the party said.
Mbeki said on Saturday the ANC was led by criminals and the party needs to prepare for a scenario in which Ramaphosa may face impeachment over the Phala Phala scandal.
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“When you talk renewal of the ANC, you’re carrying too much baggage of wrong people. You have to have the courage to face that you have a renewed ANC led by criminals,” he said.
“Since we have come into government, we have attracted people who want to come into the ranks of the ANC, that have nothing about them, know nothing about the policies or values of the ANC.
“But they know that in the governing party if I behave myself properly I will become a leader, get into government and be able to steal public resources.”
The former president made the remarks at the annual general meeting of the Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) in Johannesburg.
Zuma, speaking on Saturday at a press conference in Johannesburg, accused Ramaphosa of being corrupt and committing treason by conducting private businesses while in office.
In his almost two-hour-long rant, Zuma touched on a range of issues including his court cases and alleged injustices against him.
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He also spoke about the Phala Phala saga and launched a scathing attack on Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and the state capture commission.
“Our country’s problems are too big for President Cyril Ramaphosa to be hustling on the side through Phala Phala Farm sales.
“Cyril Ramaphosa conducting private business while holding a high office of being president of the country is in itself unconstitutional and nothing but corruption. Your president is corrupt,” Zuma said.
Meanwhile, Motlanthe warned that South Africa is on a precipice amid the country’s mounting socioeconomic challenges.
He said the time for new ideas and change has never been more urgent, in a statement on the opening day of the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation Inclusive Growth Forum, which is underway in Drakensberg this weekend.
While it acknowledges the challenges facing the governing party, the ANC in KZN said the conduct of Mbeki, Zuma and Motlanthe “forces us to choose between them and the ANC”.
“Unfortunately, as elected leaders, we are duty-bound to defend the ANC and its leadership.”
The party added that no court of law has ever found either Zuma or Ramaphosa guilty of corruption.
“Such matters are being processed by relevant authorities and therefore accusing them of being corrupt is contrary to the well-established and fundamental principle of our law of the presumption of innocence – as stated above.”
The ANC in KZN further called on the former presidents to “take a leaf out” of former president Nelson Mandela’s legacy.
It said after Mandela left office in 1999, he spent his time as an elder and doing what elders do, “instead of attacking a sitting president”.
“He never publicly insulted or undermined leaders of the ANC – irrespective of how he felt about their conduct. He used internal processes to guide where he felt guidance was urgently needed.”
Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe. Additional reporting by Faizel Patel and Narissa Subramoney
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