SACP rejects ANC’s plan to discipline defiant MPs

The ANC’s oldest strategic political ally, the SA Communist Party, has asked the ruling party to focus on solving its problems and to recall President Jacob Zuma.

It also rejected the ANC’s decision to discipline three MPs who publicly announced they had voted in favour of the recent no-confidence motion in Zuma as a “witch-hunt” and the pursuit of a factional agenda. SACP acting national spokesperson Mhlekwa Nxumalo said Zuma must go or be forced out.

“The SACP reiterates its call that President Zuma must resign, failing which the ANC must recall him. Holding the president accountable will show that the ANC is consistent on discipline,” he said.

“The recall of the president alone will not solve the many systemic and structural problems facing our movement and country, but it will go a long way in building the basis for solving those associated with his failed leadership.”

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the SACP had not been expected to make such a call through the media.

“They have been saying that for three months, but they can’t make a call through you,” he said.

The SACP’s stance supports that of ANC national executive committee member and former ANC chief whip Mathole Motshekga, who said this week disciplining ANC MPs who voted against Zuma amounted to putting “honesty, integrity and transparency on trial”.

A number of ANC MPs are believed to be among the 177 who voted in favour of the motion to oust Zuma from power.

Nxumalo added: “The myopic campaign clothed in the name of discipline is nothing but a factionally charged agenda. Revolutionary discipline is consistent and it would have long ago decisively acted against the rot of corporate capture of the state and sections of our movement and its leaders.”

Nxumalo said Zuma’s decision to reshuffle his Cabinet had been decided on outside the party, as acknowledged by his fellow top officials in the ANC.

“Such poorly considered decisions taken in violation of the democratic, revolutionary discipline of our movement plunged our country into a financial crisis.

“Our country has lost a massive amount of capital due to widespread governance decay and siphoning off of public money through illicit tenders and tender practices, corruption and maladministration,” Nxumalo said.

He said Zuma’s friends, the Guptas, were smiling all the way to the bank because of their influence on him.

“It is inconceivable that this happened without the relationship and, associated with it, funds from developmental finance institutions of the state, tenders from state-owned entities and decisions made in government and the public sector by the Gupta-captured network of officials, public office bearers and executives.” – ericn@citizen.co.za