Former premier Willies Mchunu ditches ANC

Former KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) premier, Willies Mchunu, has resigned from the African National Congress (ANC).

It is understood the 76-year-old Mchunu handed in his resignation on Thursday.

It is reported that Mchunu believes he can no longer add value to the party “due to its current political trajectory”.

In a statement addressed to the Ward 33 branch secretary in eThekwini, KZN, Mchunu refers to a message he had written to some ANC leaders about his views on the formation of the government of national unity (GNU), formed following the elections in May.

He referred to what he terms as destructive criticism levelled against him for raising a view on party matters.

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‘Not adding value’

After analysing the current political trajectory of the ANC, Mchunu said he was no longer adding value to the party.

Mchunu, who was the provincial ANC Veteran’s League chairperson, said he has lost hope in the ANC’s commitment to pursue the National Democratic Revolution in the interest of the working class and the poor.

‘Cordial relations’

Mchunu said he hopes to maintain ties with his friends in the ANC.

“I hope we will continue to maintain cordial relations with all of those comrades and not be enemies. I also know that, by taking this step, I will now invite even all sorts of insults and nasty name-calling by people I have regarded as comrades whilst we have been together in the ANC, as it is now fashionable to do so when one exercises their freedom of political choice.

“Painful as it will be, but am certain it will be much better than the pain I feel at present,” he said.

The last time Mchunu publicly appeared as an ANC member was in September during the funeral of the late public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan.

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