Former president Jacob Zuma still remains the favourite among many African National Congress (ANC) members particularly the youth.
Shadrack Masemola from Sekhukhune in Limpopo who attended the party’s 112th anniversary celebration said January 8 statements reminded him of Zuma.
Masemola said during his tenure everyone was looking forward to hearing what the former president had to say.
“Nowadays we just come here because we respect and celebrate our movement birthday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa only relates with some people whereas “Ubaba” as he’s affectionately been referred to as was very charismatic and charming.
“One really felt that he was attending a political gathering as opposed to our current president,” he said.
Masemola, however, said he remained a member of the ANC.
Another youth league member Sibusiso Madonsela from Mbombela said Zuma was still he’s favourite president to date.
Like Masemola, Madonsela told the Star that during Zuma’s reign January 8 celebrations were lively and one could tell during the build up that congress movement was in town.
“We could have been singing and dancing now, if president Zuma was still our president.
“These days we come here and listen to music playing out from the speakers and listen to speeches then leave,” Madonsela said.
He said young people were craving for political lectures and speech, which would help them understand various dynamics in around the world.
“There are lot of things we, as young people are missing. The majority of us are taught palace politics and such politics are rife under the current leadership”.
With many of the ANC’s members reminiscing about Zuma’s presidency, it could mean the beginning of the movement’s nightmare.
His December 16 announcement that he was not going to be voting for the current ANC’s leadership could be detrimental to party, as he still remains popular among members and some South Africans.
To add more salt into the ANC’s wounds, former president Zuma’s political ally and former secretary general of the ANC Ace Magashule, announced on Friday that his party would be working with the newly register political party uMkhonto weSizwe in the upcoming general elections.
During the announcement, Magashule did not miss an opportunity to criticise the governing party saying that it had strayed from what it was in its formative years.
Furthermore, he said that it needed what he termed “mental consciousness”.
The ANC’s ultimate test to see if it has indeed lost ground with the people would be judged by the upcoming electoral polls, which are expected to be announced by Ramaphosa in the middle of this year. | Sunday Independent
sipho.jack@inl.co.za