‘Zuma is still our chairperson’ − says Sanco

The SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in KwaZulu-Natal says Jacob Zuma did not breach the organisation’s constitution when he announced he would not vote or campaign for the ANC next year.

Zuma said he would vote for the newly formed uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party.

In a statement, read by his daughter Dudu Zuma-Sambudla, Zuma said in part: “The ANC has been reduced to an organisation hardly respected by those it sought to liberate. It’s clear they’re disappointed by the party’s conduct under the current leadership.

“For over a century, the ANC leadership had always treated its members and supporters with utmost respect and prioritised listening to them more than listening to themselves.

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“An open channel of communication from the ground up had always been the core practice of the organisation and had helped to maintain a strong connection with the people.

“A healthy relationship between the leadership of the ANC and its members at all levels demonstrated the character of being an organisation of the people, by the people and for the people.

“It is for such reasons that many of us initially joined the ANC, and believed so deeply in its mission that we were prepared to sacrifice our lives. Many indeed paid the supreme sacrifice and lost their lives in the process of fighting for our freedom.”

‘No constitutional breach’

While President Cyril Ramaphosa has “noted” his predecessor’s announcement and the ANC in KZN slammed Zuma’s “ill-discipline”, Sanco said on Wednesday that it was business as usual in the organisation.

“There isn’t much controversy around this issue where the chairperson decides to support another party.

“On the contrary, we are guided by the constitution, we cannot jump into the fact that Zuma has started another party, therefore Sanco must remove him. No, we can’t work like that, we’re guided by the constitution,” said provincial secretary Sizwe Cele.

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“There is no constitutional breach so far. Msholozi is still with us and he’s our chairperson. Msholozi can leave here and go home, wear his MK T-shirt and go out to campaign for MK.

“But the day Msholozi walks out of here wearing a Sanco T-shirt and go out to campaign for MK, that’s when we’ll have a problem because he’ll be using the emblem and logo of Sanco to campaign for a different organisation, which Sanco does not associate itself with.”

The organisation said it will campaign for the ANC, not the MK party.