WATCH: ANC told to reclaim powers ‘from Stellenbosch capitalists’

eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has called on ANC members to reclaim the party’s governing powers from so-called “Stellenbosch capitalists”.

In a video that has gone viral on social media, Kaunda, speaking in Zulu, claimed some leaders of the ANC had given away the party’s powers to govern the country to Stellenbosch capitalists – a reference to so-called white monopoly capital that has been accused of resisting moves to transform South Africa’s economy to make it more inclusive to the black majority.

Kaunda said ANC members should not be afraid of the consequences of standing up for themselves and protecting the party.

ALSO READ: ANC NEC meeting: Magashule and others must step aside in 30 days

He said South Africans we not benefiting from the economy and for this to happen, the country needed a strong and fearless party.

“The most important thing is to protect the ANC. My people, we cannot be controlled by capitalists, have capitalists controlling the economy, no.

“We cannot fool ourselves and say we are in full control of the economy even when we know that it is in the hands of the capitalists,” Kaunda said.

Kaunda did not specify who handed the ANC’s governing power to “Stellenbosch capitalists” or who those capitalists were.

It is understood that he was speaking to mourners on Monday in Mgababa, in the south of Durban during the funeral of eThekwini councillor and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) veteran, Bheki Thabethe.

The ANC has been debating the party’s 2017 Nasrec conference resolution that all party members facing criminal charges should voluntarily step down or face disciplinary action.

READ MORE: RET faction is gaining traction in the ANC

This has seen supporters of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule and President Cyril Ramaphosa divided over the matter.

Magashule is out on R200,000 bail on 21 charges of fraud and corruption for his alleged role in the multimillion-rand asbestos audit tender scandal in the Free State.

Article by Thapelo Lekabe

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.