Former South African president Jacob Zuma arrives at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Monday, 15 July 2019. Picture: Pool Photo by Wikus de Wet, AP
Former president Jacob Zuma has written a scathing letter in response to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s letter to ANC members, in which he condemned the Covid-19 related corruption under his watch.
The letter reads in part: “I write this letter to you, my fellow ANC member, as our movement and our country face one of the greatest challenges since the advent of democracy. Today, the ANC and its leaders stand accused of corruption. The ANC may not stand alone in the dock, but it does stand as Accused No. 1.”
However, Zuma says Ramaphosa’s letter was “flawed” in several aspects, including addressing it to “ANC members” who have never abused state resources.
“In your letter, in which you state what you view as ‘one of the greatest challenges since the advent of democracy’, you regrettably place the scourge of corruption right at the door-step of ordinary members of the ANC, most of whom are the urban and rural poor working class people, who have never abused state resources. In their numbers, they live in abject poverty waiting for the ever elusive better life for all, you and I promised them,” said Zuma.
Not only are parts of Ramaphosa’s letter not helpful to the ANC, said Zuma, but also helps those who seek to destroy the ruling party.
Zuma also criticises Ramaphosa for his “unusual act” of writing a letter, when the party usually discusses matters within its structures.
“Mr President, your letter is fundamentally flawed in several aspects and plays right into the hands of those who seek to destroy the ANC and build from its ashes a counter-revolutionary party under the guise of fighting corruption. I am certain that this is not your intention, Mr President.
“Apart from the fact that your letter betrays a lack of understanding of how the leadership of the ANC should communicate with its structures. It is absolutely unjustified to attribute to the entire ANC and its ordinary members, misconduct of a few individuals that have access to state power and its resources as well as ANC leadership positions. Mr President, by stating that the ANC stands as Accused No 1 in respect of the charge of corruption, you implicate thousands of innocent members of the ANC, who continue to face hunger and dehumanising poverty and have never benefitted from corruption,” he said.
Also read: ANC members accused of corruption ‘must change their ways or leave’, asserts Ramaphosa
Zuma further challenges the President to face accusations levelled against him concerning the Nasrec conference and his spokesperson Khusela Diko’s husband being implicated in PPE tenders.
“Yet you seek to divert attention from your own office and your household as you attribute the crime of PPE corruption to the ordinary ANC members. Mr President, it may be you that should hang your head in shame and not the members of the ANC.”
The ANC is having an NEC meeting this weekend, in which it is expected to discuss how to deal with members who are accused of corruption, among other issues.
Read the full letter below:
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