President Cyril Ramaphosa has taken a jab at counter revolutionary opposition political parties including Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party.
Ramaphosa said it has become fashionable for people who were previously ANC members to branch out of the ANC to form their own parties that project themselves as more radical that the ANC when they are not.
Even though the ANC president did not single out one particular person or political party by name, Ramaphosa said the ANC is not scared of these anti-transformation forces adding that only the ANC has the capacity to lead.
“We have seen agents who are opposed to the transformative agenda. These are the real snakes that want to bite the ANC. They are masquerading as agents of change while in fact they have a common cause with those opposed to transformation. Their agenda is to deprive the ANC from having state power and are opposed to transformation and the ANC’s democratic agenda,” he said.
Ramaphosa said the ANC has in the last three decades transformed the country and provided free basic services to its citizens.
“The ANC is the only reasonable force that has a track record of uniting and working with various forces to advance the democratic agenda. Only the ANC is able to work with various sectors of society, including faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, unions, women and business to ensure social change.
“We must now make sure that the onslaught against transformation must make us more deliberate in the renewal of the ANC. Those plotting against us must know that we are not scared of them,” he said.
However, SACP secretary general Solly Mapaila called out former ANC president Jacob Zuma saying Zuma should have used internal ANC processes to voice his issues and not form a splinter party that has now divided the ANC.
“We must deal with the populist forces who want to divide our movement and the direction of our revolution. The second threat comrades come from inside the movement. This breakaway movement that has even used our symbols for their own selfish ends. This comrades, we characterise clearly as a counter revolution in motion. This counter revolution must be defeated. This agenda must be fully interrupted,” he said.
Mapaila accused Zuma and members of his new party of intimidation. “These people have intimidated 80 councillors to resign so that they can buy elections. This is true counter revolution and there is nothing revolutionary about it. Therefore, in this regard, as we pledge our support to the ANC this coming elections, we will work with you on the ground to defeat these counter revolutionary forces,” he said.
While the ANC was celebrating its 112th year, supporters of the MK Party spent their day in multiple vehicle parades across the country. | Sunday Independent
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