MK vets head to Nkandla to pledge support for Zuma

The Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) leadership will pay a visit to former president Jacob Zuma on Thursday, in a show of support.

This comes after Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and his entourage set tongues wagging last week after meeting with the former president for “tea”.

The MKMVA said it was going there as part of its 60th anniversary celebration, where it will be visiting the older generation of Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) comrades.

“It is in this context that MKMVA will pay the first of these planned visits to president Zuma, in order to honour him as our patron-in-chief,” said spokesperson Carl Niehaus.

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The visit will also serve to pledge the MKMVA’s support to the former president “in the face of the constant attacks that he is being subjected to”.

“There is no doubt in our minds that president Zuma is being deliberately targeted and treated extremely badly. MKMVA is deeply disturbed by the recent ruling by the Constitutional Court [ConCourt], which endeavours to force president Zuma to present himself before Justice Zondo, who is evidently prejudiced against him.

“We are furthermore perturbed that a most basic and fundamental constitutional right was taken away from president Zuma by the ruling of the Constitutional Court, namely his right to remain silent and not to incriminate himself,” said Niehaus.

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As a result, the MKMVA will show its support for the former president, not only through the planned visit, but also through a “programme of action” that it plans to undertake.

The “programme of action” will be discussed with Zuma during our visit, following which MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe will address the media.

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