Hogwash was the choice of word used by African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Ace Magashule to brush off allegations of a so-called plot to oust party president Cyril Ramaphosa, a story that has been rocking the boat of many South Africans the past week and a half.
In an interview with Polokwane Observer upon conclusion of a memorial lecture celebrating the life of the late Winnie Madikizela Mandela hosted by the ANC in Peter Mokaba Region at Jack Botes hall on Friday evening, Magashule indicated that the media had “just used an unfortunate, mischievous word ‘plot’. You can’t do that. Cyril Ramaphosa is my president. He was elected with me. The leadership of the ANC is there, works as a collective. At the helm of that leadership is the president.”
Reiterating his party loyalty, Magashule stressed that he supported the president, adding that people wanted to be mischievous because they wanted to see former party president Jacob Zuma as an outcast. He mentioned that he said he couldn’t allow that. Zuma had to be respected as former president like any other president and other unelected leaders who contributed to the entire body of the ANC, he added.
“So that is (a) hogwash type of story and I’m sure the (Polokwane) Observer is there to report positively.”
Earlier on in the interview when asked about the ANC’s state of readiness ahead of Elections 2019, Magashule expressed the belief that the organisation was prepared for what lay ahead, that they were working hard and registering voters. He referred to the party having embarked on a campaign to listen to people to make their input on the party’s manifesto that, like the Freedom Charter, was informed by society and not just ANC membership. According to Magashule the ANC in Limpopo was well ahead in terms of progress and was leading the process of consultations with stakeholders and listening to people so that their election manifesto was a clear one coming out of their people, black and white.
With reference to his call for overwhelming support for the ANC in the province in his earlier address to his audience, he said Limpopo had been the base of the ANC and whatever base was narrowed within Limpopo the last time was going to give them more of the ANC support in the entire country.
“We have seen their work and we are here to energise them, agitate them, activate them to do more.”
In his address Magashule reiterated the importance of a strong and united ANC. He took his audience on a walk through South Africa’s past as he paid tribute to a host of women whose names, along with that of the late Madikizela Mandela, are captured in history books. The lecture, that coincided with Madikizela Mandela’s birth month and brought together leaders and representatives of ANC and alliance structures in the province, preceded a rally at Mankgaile Primary School in Ga-Molepo area on Saturday.
Story & photos: YOLANDE NEL
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