Durban – ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Sihle Zikalala says they will continue supporting former president Jacob Zuma, as this is in line with the ruling party’s policy of standing by its leaders.
Delivering a youth day address in the Moses Mabhida region in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday, Zikalala insisted that their support for Zuma was based on principle.
“We will support comrade Zuma throughout because in the ANC we stand by our leaders,” he told a packed Pietermaritzburg city hall.
This was in reference to the recent development where some ANC members and leaders have visited Zuma at his home in Nkandla, raising questions over the appropriateness of such a move.
The KZN chairperson, however, defended this saying ANC members were simply acting in accordance with the traditions and practices of the ruling party which place emphasis on supporting party leaders under all circumstances.
“We are ANC members, and are not owned by certain individuals”, Zikalala stressed in defending their support for the former president.
Zikalala also called for unity among party members, warning that division along factional lines could see the ANC losing its grip on power.
He said the emergence of interim structures instead of committees in many branches and regions was an indication of infighting, and needed tackling because it was harming the ruling party.
The ruling party will hold its elective provincial conference next month where Zikalala is set to lock horns with Nomusa Dube-Ncube for the position of provincial chairperson.