Leader of the United Democratic Movement (UDM), General Bantu Holomisa, says he has been vindicated by the recent announcement by former ANC president Jacob Zuma that he will not be campaigning for the ANC ahead of the elections next year.
On Saturday, Zuma stunned millions of South Africans when he said that even though he remains a member of the ruling party, he would instead campaign and vote for the uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK) political party.
It is reported that the MK party was recently registered as a political party with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).
Zuma’s announcement had drawn widespread criticism and speculation over the immediate future of the ANC which looks set to post a decline in voters at the upcoming 2024 polls.
Zuma’s conundrum for the ANC coincided with former ANC president, Thabo Mbeki, also indicating that he too will not be campaigning for the ANC under the circumstances the party finds itself in.
On Monday, in a statement, Holomisa said his party has also met to discuss the recent developments in the country’s political arena.
Holimisa said that the UDM has for a long time shared similar sentiments expressed by ANC stalwarts on the decline of the ruling party.
“Zuma’s criticism of the ruling party echoes what the UDM has said of them all along, that they have forsaken the original agenda. The party agrees with president Zuma that the ANC has gone down a wayward path of ill-discipline.
“The UDM was even vindicated by Struggle stalwart, Mavuso Msimang, who has been vocal about the decline of the ANC, which he said is due to the party’s failure to deal with widespread corruption and maladministration.
“Even former president Thabo Mbeki has ventured forth in publicly criticising the ANC in no uncertain terms,” Holomisa said.
Holomisa said he agreed with Msimang’s assertion that the ANC has failed to implement the recommendations of the Zondo Commission stated in the inquiry report.
“The Zondo Commission’s report (which also vindicated the UDM) is gathering dust in Parliament and the National Director of Public Prosecution, Shamila Batohi, is sleeping on the job.
“It is time for people of the same view, who see a future for this country, from civil society, traditional leaders, academics, faith-based organisations, political formations and advocacy groups to converge under one roof to to develop a blueprint to rebuild South Africa,” Holomisa said.
On Monday, the ANC in KZN slammed Zuma for hijacking its MK movement with the intention of de-campaigning the ANC in the upcoming elections.
The ANC’s provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo said Zuma’s latest move was tantamount to “resigning” from the governing party.
“It is for the first time in 111 years of the ANC’s existence that a former president and an outstanding leader of the movement publicly announced his decision to vote for another political party and effectively campaign for that party, (something) which we view as literally divorcing the ANC and leaving the ANC for another political formation ... It is also no exaggeration to state that this is a form of gross ill discipline,” Mtolo said.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, who also on Monday addressed a media briefing at Luthuli House, said he had noted Zuma’s latest announcement.
“We have all listened to the announcement by president Jacob Zuma. We have also noted what he has said and what he has announced.
“That is as far as we are prepared to go at this point in time as everyone in our country is free to express themselves in relation to who they will vote for and why they will vote for them. We have noted what former president Jacob Zuma has announced,” Ramaphosa said.
The Star
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za