Mabuza, who has kept a low profile since the ANC’s elective conference in 2022 was leading a door-to-door campaign in Olivenhoutbosch. Photo: X/@MYANC
Former African National Congress (ANC) Deputy President David Mabuza said the governing party has survived many blows and will survive former President Jacob Zuma and the impact of the uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK) on the upcoming election.
Mabuza, who has kept a low profile since the ANC’s elective conference in 2022 was leading a door-to-door campaign in Olivenhoutbosch, Tshwane on Sunday.
Last week the ANC summoned Zuma to face an ANC disciplinary hearing on Tuesday for contravening party rules.
However, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula on Saturday in a letter seen by The Citizen requested the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) chairperson, Ralph Mgijima postpone Zuma’s hearing, citing security concerns and fears of violence shortly before the elections.
When asked about Zuma and splinter parties that have come out of the ANC, Mabuza said the ANC has survived before.
“The ANC has survived so many blows and I’m sure we’ll survive this one. It’s the decision of the former president to leave the ANC. Whatever the reasons, well, we can’t blame him, ourselves we’ll remain the ANC.
“The ANC will follow its own processes to discipline members and all of us are equal before the ANC. The constitution of the ANC will apply regardless of your status, all our members will be subjected to the same constitution, “ Mabuzsa said.
Mabuza said the ANC is going to forge ahead.
“Remember when we came from Polokwane, Cope was born, we went through that pain. When we went to Mangaung, the EFF was born and after Nasrec, MK is born. We’ll shoulder on and proceed because the journey that we have started, we think we are almost half way. We’ve made progress at the ANC, we are not going to lament about the failures.”
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On Saturday, while on a campaign trail in Tshwane, former ANC president Thabo Mbeki has highlighted weaknesses in the governing party’s election campaign.
Mbeki said the ANC’s campaign is failing to address challenges currently faced by citizens.
“I think that matter the ANC needs to correct. I think also we say these are the successes we’ve made over the last 30 years, that is correct. But the real challenge is that there is somebody who lives today who says ‘I’m unemployed, I’m hungry, I have no water.’”
Mbeki stressed that these challenges must be addressed by the ANC.
“In the ANC campaign, we’ve got to address these challenges that the people make, and make commitments about those challenges, commitments that we are determined to fulfil, not just to make promises.”
Mbeki said he made a suggestion to the ANC to convene a national convention after the elections to address the country’s problems.
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