POLOKWANE – This time its a group which refers to itself as the Defenders of the Constitution Alliance, which was formed over the weekend.
The ANC in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State as a collective showed support for Zuma this week, saying they accepted his apology following the recent Constitutional Court ruling on the Nkandla matter.
ANC members who are part of the Defenders of the Constitution spoke on condition of anonymity in fear of victimisation.
They said defending the ruling party was becoming all the more difficult following the court ruling, and that questions around Zuma and his breach of the Constitution were rife in rural communities.
Members of the alliance, most of who are strong supporters of the deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa, feel Zuma should resign in an effort to restore credibility to the ANC.
The statement issued by the ANC in Limpopo supporting Zuma is not a reflection of the truth. The statement as written by individuals sitting in Frans Mohlala House (ANC headquarteres in Polokwane) because they are getting instructions from Luthuli House.
They further say the ANC across all nine provinces is in fact, divided over the issue, “there is no unity”.
“In a statement issued after a special meeting on Monday‚ the ANC Gauteng Provincial Executive Committee said Zuma should reflect deeply and do the right thing. This is what we agree with,” they add.
A prayer for Zuma to resign
The South African Council of Churches (SACC) in Limpopo held a prayer today to pray for Zuma’s resignation.
Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, SACC Limpopo general secretary, said most of their congregation were ANC members, so the council understood the conflict in the situation.
SACC Limpopo leader, Awedzani Nemaxwi said if Zuma had any remorse, he wouldn’t tell traditional leaders that the current matters should be resolved “the African way”.
“If he was remorseful, he wouldn’t contradict himself. He told the entire South African from the beginning that he won’t pay back the Nkandla money. Then he changed his view. The day he apologised to the public, he should have resigned. We don’t want to fight, we just want him to resign.”
Meanwhile, president of the SADC Traditional Healers Association, Dr Sylvester Hlathi, said the association hosted an executive meeting in Malamulele today to discuss the situation and prepare the way forward.
No reason to recall the president
ANC Limpopo spokesperson, Aluwani Netsianda, said the party respected the SACC’s right to assemble and voice their freedom of expression, but there was no reason to recall the president.
He said representatives of the ANC would meet with the SACC and engage in constructive talk after the prayer meeting had taken place.
He said he had no knowledge of ANC branches in the province that convened to discuss a possible recalling of the president.
“We heard it as a rumour and a call of individuals who don’t have the mandate from their branches,” he said.
Asked for a response on the formation of the Defenders of the Constitution Alliance – which includes many ANC members in areas rooting for Ramaphosa as Zuma’s successor – several officials in the ANC said they did not know about the alliance.
