ANC national chairwoman Baleka Mbete this week said party members must desist from “using money to determine the direction of the ANC and who leads it”.
Speaking in Bhisho during former ANC provincial chairman Dumisani Mafu’s memorial service this week, Mbete admitted that infighting and divisions existed in the ANC.
“We cannot unite our people if we fail to unite ourselves as the ANC,” she said.
“It has not been easy because inside the organisation, we are not all alike. We know each other well, but there are new cultures that have emerged.
“There are new tendencies threatening to wreak havoc, tendencies where money determines the direction of the ANC and who is going to lead us.”
She urged her ANC comrades to speak out against the divisions and “new cultures that are threatening to render the movement asunder”.
Mbete, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly, admitted it was not a joyride to be an ANC leader these days, as some party members had discarded ANC values and were compromising party unity.
“It’s tough in the ANC, comrades. Sometimes you look at a particular comrade that you have known for a long time and discover that you no longer know such comrade because of these new cultures.”
She said unity within party structures was critical as that would translate to the unity of all South African people.
She urged members to approach and convince those who had defected from the party and chosen to stand as independent candidates in the upcoming August 3 local government elections to return to the ruling party.
“Over time comrades, we got divided as we bruised each other at various moments in the life of the organisation.
“We should stop trying to destroy one another,” said Mbete.
She also urged her comrades not to backchat one another in public, saying that it was “tarnishing the ANC’s name”.
“If you hear something about your comrades, go to them and ask them calmly about that.
“Don’t take it to the media as that will tarnish the ANC.”
Yesterday Mbete, who is one of those touted to take over the party’s presidential reins, was on the campaign trail in the Mnquma sub-region. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Mbete tells ANC members to stop putting money first
Speaking in Bhisho during former ANC provincial chairman Dumisani Mafu’s memorial service this week, Mbete admitted that infighting and divisions existed in the ANC.
“We cannot unite our people if we fail to unite ourselves as the ANC,” she said.
“It has not been easy because inside the organisation, we are not all alike. We know each other well, but there are new cultures that have emerged.
“There are new tendencies threatening to wreak havoc, tendencies where money determines the direction of the ANC and who is going to lead us.”
She urged her ANC comrades to speak out against the divisions and “new cultures that are threatening to render the movement asunder”.
Mbete, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly, admitted it was not a joyride to be an ANC leader these days, as some party members had discarded ANC values and were compromising party unity.
“It’s tough in the ANC, comrades. Sometimes you look at a particular comrade that you have known for a long time and discover that you no longer know such comrade because of these new cultures.”
She said unity within party structures was critical as that would translate to the unity of all South African people.
She urged members to approach and convince those who had defected from the party and chosen to stand as independent candidates in the upcoming August 3 local government elections to return to the ruling party.
“Over time comrades, we got divided as we bruised each other at various moments in the life of the organisation.
“We should stop trying to destroy one another,” said Mbete.
She also urged her comrades not to backchat one another in public, saying that it was “tarnishing the ANC’s name”.
“If you hear something about your comrades, go to them and ask them calmly about that.
“Don’t take it to the media as that will tarnish the ANC.”
Yesterday Mbete, who is one of those touted to take over the party’s presidential reins, was on the campaign trail in the Mnquma sub-region. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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