‘I hope my resignation had a shocking effect on ANC leadership’ – Mavuso Msimang explains U-turn

African National Congress (ANC) stalwart Mavuso Msimang has sought to clarify the rationale behind his surprising change of heart concerning his resignation from the ruling party.

Msimang made headlines last week following his announcement that he was dumping the ANC after six decades of being a member.

ALSO READ: ANC veterans pleaded with Mavuso Msimang to return to the party

The ANC Veterans League deputy president, who has been a vocal critic of his party, cited South Africa’s stagnant economy and corruption, among others, as some of the reasons for his resignation.

What followed was a back and forth public spat between Msimang and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula over the struggle stalwart’s criticism of the governing party.

However seven days later, Msimang made a U-turn on his decision after the party’s Veterans League senior officials intervened.

‘ANC leadership lethargic approach’

Msimang has now confirmed that the “differences” himself and Mbalula had, have been ironed out.

But the veteran said while he has rescinded his resignation, he will not backtrack on his comments in his four-page letter “that explains my deep concerns about the state of the ANC and its manifest failure to deal with corruption within our own ranks”.

“My resignation from the ANC was never simply a matter of having changed my mind about the party’s policies because another contender for power had persuaded me that they had better policies,” he said in an op-ed published by Sunday Times.

“It doesn’t require sophisticated political analysis to predict what will happen to the ANC’s electoral chances if they fail to exclude people tainted with corruption.

READ MORE: ‘When you leave ANC, don’t throw a party’ – ANCYL president criticises veterans ‘behaving like prefects’

“It is my hope that my resignation did have the effect of shocking the ANC leadership into doing what ought to have been glaringly obvious: do not allow anyone tainted with corruption to accept nomination as a public representative,” the struggle stalwart continued.

Msimang explained that the ANC leadership’s “lethargic approach” to dealing with corruption and other matters was the last straw that broke his 63-year relationship with the ruling party.

He further said he would not just be a “bystander or armchair critic” as the ANC campaigns to try and win the 2024 general elections.

“We are entering the uncharted era of coalition governance at national level with no demonstratable discipline by political parties to play in this field,” he added.

‘De-campaigning ANC’

Just hours before Msimang’s resignation letter was made public, Mbalula had slammed ANC veterans for constantly criticising the ruling party.

He called on the veterans to stop “de-campaigning” the ANC and work through the organisation’s structures.

“Day and night, veterans and stalwarts have led a charge on this organisation. They are attacking and de-campaigning our movement as we face difficulties,” Mbalula said last Thursday.

The ANC’s Veterans League has taken issue with Mbalula’s utterances, with the party’s president Snuki Zikalala saying the elders were not undermining the organisation for speaking out on corruption.

But Mbalula publicly refused to apologise for his comments.

NOW READ: ANC veteran Msimang ‘not singing a solo’