Johannesburg - Former president Jacob Zuma is set to stand for a position in the ANC’s top six come the party’s 55th elective conference in December.
Zuma, who was the ANC’s president for two terms, aims to make a remarkable re-entry into mainstream politics following the end of his term in December 2017.
In a startling move, Zuma told an Ace Magashule-led delegation that he would not be supporting KwaZulu-Natal heavyweight Zweli Mkhize or presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu for the position of president. Zuma said he, however, wished for Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma to be in the top six.
Zuma and Mkhize have crossed swords after the former president chose Dlamini Zuma over the party’s former treasurer-general. Mkhize is, however, still set to stand for the position of party president.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has confirmed to The Star that it will support Zuma should he be nominated. The foundation’s chairperson, Dudu Myeni, said: “If the branches nominate Nxamalala (Zuma’s clan name), we will support him.
The people love Zuma and Zuma loved the ANC. He is persecuted for his love for the ANC and Africans. At this point it will take Zuma to save the ANC.”
Zuma’s Nkandla homestead has been a hive of activity this week with slate discussions and some ANC leaders looking for Zuma’s blessing.
According to close sources, Zuma threw down the gauntlet, saying that “those who didn’t fight for the soul of the ANC should not be elected”.
“You can see a comrade who is not afraid of being charged or harassed, a comrade who will stand for the our party. Some changed at the moment we elected them. We no longer know what they stand for. When I think about a secretary-general for our party, I think of someone like Supra Mahumapelo,” Zuma said.
Zuma told a KZN provincial top six delegation, a Mpumalanga delegation and a Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association delegation that the party had never been weaker.
“If you look at where we are, can you tell me that we have a youth league, or a women’s league? Do we still have structures and branches? They are all dead and you know the reasons for that. We must correct it,” Zuma said.
Zuma also lamented the issue of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s farm theft and the lack of accountability in the case.
“The police can’t move, Sars (the SA Revenue Service), can’t move, the Financial Intelligence Centre, can’t move, the public protector, can’t move on the case because they must protect one person,” Zuma said.
According to Econometrix chief economist Azar Jammine, the robbery at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm involving millions in undeclared foreign currency might push the country over the edge. Jammine was reacting yesterday to the Mutual Evaluation Report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
“The whole Phala Phala story is a classic manifestation of the concern that FATF and international investors have about our ability to control money laundering,” said Jammine.
The scandal came to light when the former head of state security, Arthur Fraser laid a charge with the Rosebank police station over the alleged concealment of the crime.
In his affidavit, Fraser accused Ramaphosa of failing to report the robbery at any police station and instead asked the head of the Presidential Protection Unit, Whally Rhoode, to trace the robbers and retrieve their loot. Fraser claimed that five robbers were tracked and apprehended and allegedly tortured to reveal where they had stashed the stolen money.
Energy Minister Jeff Radebe is also set to stand for the party’s No 1 job. Party treasurer Paul Mashatile and Ronald Lamola are set for a showdown for the position of deputy.
The Star