Zuma: ‘I would have convinced voters not to punish the ANC’

After ANC’s dismissal performance at polls during the local government elections last week, former president Jacob Zuma reportedly wants a revolt within the part.

The Sunday Times reported that Zuma has called on ANC structures to revolt against the party’s leadership after their worst performance ever in the municipal elections.

The Sunday newspaper cited a leaked audio recording during a funeral service last Friday of the brother of his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in Bulwer, KwaZulu-Natal. In the audio Zuma told mourners that party members should “rise and save the ANC”.   

Zuma said if he was not on parole he would have rallied more support during the elections and held leaders accountable.

On Saturday, ANC members gathered at the Moses Mabhida regional offices in Pietermaritzburg to protest President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership.

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The Sunday Times reports that there are protests are planned in eThekwini on Monday. According to the former president of the ANC, he also blamed the bad performance on Ramaphosa and other leaders for not implementing the step aside resolutions.

“Other resolutions which are critical in changing the lives of the people and transforming the county are being neglected, and I will not keep quiet when things go wrong in the ANC,” Zuma said. 

Zuma believes that if he was able to speak to voters he would have explained why it was important to vote for the ruling party despite its shortcomings and would have convinced them to not punish the ANC.

He also stated that ANC voters stayed away from the polls because of the endless factionalism and those who have plans to weaken the party within.

A KwaZulu-Natal leader was quoted in The Sunday Times articles who spoke on condition of anonymity, agreeing with Zuma.

“People said the real president of the ANC has spoken. That’s the president we know,” they said.