ANC branches in the Eastern Cape have become the first party structures after the local government elections to call for President Jacob Zuma’s removal.
The call was echoed in at least three different meetings – of ANC branches in BCM, Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Metro and provincial structures of the ANC Youth League – over the weekend.
Heated meetings in the two metros saw ANC members voicing frustrations and calling for Zuma’s head.
It is understood that delegates blamed Zuma’s shenanigans – including his association with the Gupta family and the R246-million upgrade of his Nkandla homestead – for ANC’s poor performance during the municipal elections this month, in which the party lost not only NMB but also Tshwane and the City of Joburg in Gauteng.
Not to be outdone, delegates attending the ANC Youth league provincial general council in East London on Sunday also used the platform to call for Zuma’s immediate removal.
The closed BCM branches’ meeting in East London was attended by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
Home Affairs Minister and ANC national executive committee member Malusi Gigaba and Eastern Cape ANC deputy chairman Sakhumzi Somyo met with NMB branches and councillors on Sunday.
The meetings were meant to be part of the party’s post-election assessment and consultation with branches.
It did not take long before Zuma became the main topic, with various speakers attributing the ANC’s worst performance since 1994 to him.
At the East London meeting, the issue of Zuma’s removal was first brought up by ANC’s Yure Mdyogolo branch member, Thabang Maseko, who advised Mantashe that “instead of risking losing the country in 2019, the president needs to go, even if it means him taking a long sick leave”, according to sources who attended the meeting.
Ward 19 failed councillor-candidate Graham Lottering, who lost the ward to the DA, was also said to have been “too vocal” about Zuma’s removal, allegedly blaming “scandals associated with Zuma” for his loss in his ward.
Lottering could not be reached at the time of writing yesterday.
Maseko confirmed that such discussions did take place but refused to comment further, saying it was still an internal party discussion and he could not speak about it with the media.
The provincial ANC Youth League broke ranks with its mother body, telling league national working committee members Mbasa Satyi and Princess Faku that there was no need for the ruling party to call an early conference but that Zuma had to go instead. League spokesman Ayogezwa Lungisa confirmed that 90% of more than 600 branches in attendance supported that position.
“Majority of the delegates uprightly rejected call for an early conference.
“We can also not run away from the fact that most of those in attendance, mostly sub-regional leaders, did call for President Zuma’s removal,” said Lungisa. “We were there to look at some things in the public domain that had contributed to the decline of ANC votes across the country.
“Issues such as e-tolls in Gauteng, and the security upgrades at the president’s homestead, were some of the thorny issues pinned as having cost the ANC its votes,” Lungisa said.
He said the provincial youth league would meet soon to develop a “position paper on the matter after we have consolidated all the inputs we received during the Sunday meeting”.
Satyi refused to be drawn into commenting about Zuma’s removal calls, saying the meeting was “an internal party platform”.
In Port Elizabeth, about six delegates who attended the meeting, but asked to remain anonymous, also confirmed that discussions centred around Zuma’s removal.
It is understood that 55 branches were represented.
A branch secretary at the meeting said: “Most of branches there called for the president to step down.
“They also said the top six should step down.”
A councillor said: “The majority in that meeting called for Zuma, the remaining top five and the NEC to step down because they have cost the ANC so many metros. They were saying the president must go because people did not vote for the ANC because of his scandals.
“Some said they would not even wear ANC T-shirts with Zuma’s face.”
But ANC NMB regional task team coordinator Beza Ntshona was adamant yesterday that the call for Zuma’s resignation was not unanimous.
“People were raising their concerns on issues surrounding the president.
“There was no call for him to step down,” Ntshona said.
The ANC faces mounting pressure from prominent leaders who want Zuma to step down.
Last week, renowned businessman and academic Sipho Pityana told about 5000 at former Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile’s funeral that it was time for Zuma to give up the reins.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane yesterday also refused to be drawn. “This coming weekend we will meet other regions and after that we will meet as the PEC on Monday to consolidate all the inputs we have received from the regions.
“That meeting in East London was not to take decisions, so we cannot now entertain and comment on presentations made by individual branches.
“We can only do so once we have consolidated our report as the PEC,” said Mabuyane.
Numerous attempts were made to reach Mantashe, but were unsuccessful by late yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za with additional reporting by Rochelle de Kock, Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko and Yoliswa Sobuwa
Eastern Cape ANC calls for Zuma to go
The call was echoed in at least three different meetings – of ANC branches in BCM, Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Metro and provincial structures of the ANC Youth League – over the weekend.
Heated meetings in the two metros saw ANC members voicing frustrations and calling for Zuma’s head.
It is understood that delegates blamed Zuma’s shenanigans – including his association with the Gupta family and the R246-million upgrade of his Nkandla homestead – for ANC’s poor performance during the municipal elections this month, in which the party lost not only NMB but also Tshwane and the City of Joburg in Gauteng.
Not to be outdone, delegates attending the ANC Youth league provincial general council in East London on Sunday also used the platform to call for Zuma’s immediate removal.
The closed BCM branches’ meeting in East London was attended by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
Home Affairs Minister and ANC national executive committee member Malusi Gigaba and Eastern Cape ANC deputy chairman Sakhumzi Somyo met with NMB branches and councillors on Sunday.
The meetings were meant to be part of the party’s post-election assessment and consultation with branches.
It did not take long before Zuma became the main topic, with various speakers attributing the ANC’s worst performance since 1994 to him.
At the East London meeting, the issue of Zuma’s removal was first brought up by ANC’s Yure Mdyogolo branch member, Thabang Maseko, who advised Mantashe that “instead of risking losing the country in 2019, the president needs to go, even if it means him taking a long sick leave”, according to sources who attended the meeting.
Ward 19 failed councillor-candidate Graham Lottering, who lost the ward to the DA, was also said to have been “too vocal” about Zuma’s removal, allegedly blaming “scandals associated with Zuma” for his loss in his ward.
Lottering could not be reached at the time of writing yesterday.
Maseko confirmed that such discussions did take place but refused to comment further, saying it was still an internal party discussion and he could not speak about it with the media.
The provincial ANC Youth League broke ranks with its mother body, telling league national working committee members Mbasa Satyi and Princess Faku that there was no need for the ruling party to call an early conference but that Zuma had to go instead. League spokesman Ayogezwa Lungisa confirmed that 90% of more than 600 branches in attendance supported that position.
“Majority of the delegates uprightly rejected call for an early conference.
“We can also not run away from the fact that most of those in attendance, mostly sub-regional leaders, did call for President Zuma’s removal,” said Lungisa. “We were there to look at some things in the public domain that had contributed to the decline of ANC votes across the country.
“Issues such as e-tolls in Gauteng, and the security upgrades at the president’s homestead, were some of the thorny issues pinned as having cost the ANC its votes,” Lungisa said.
He said the provincial youth league would meet soon to develop a “position paper on the matter after we have consolidated all the inputs we received during the Sunday meeting”.
Satyi refused to be drawn into commenting about Zuma’s removal calls, saying the meeting was “an internal party platform”.
In Port Elizabeth, about six delegates who attended the meeting, but asked to remain anonymous, also confirmed that discussions centred around Zuma’s removal.
It is understood that 55 branches were represented.
A branch secretary at the meeting said: “Most of branches there called for the president to step down.
“They also said the top six should step down.”
A councillor said: “The majority in that meeting called for Zuma, the remaining top five and the NEC to step down because they have cost the ANC so many metros. They were saying the president must go because people did not vote for the ANC because of his scandals.
“Some said they would not even wear ANC T-shirts with Zuma’s face.”
But ANC NMB regional task team coordinator Beza Ntshona was adamant yesterday that the call for Zuma’s resignation was not unanimous.
“People were raising their concerns on issues surrounding the president.
“There was no call for him to step down,” Ntshona said.
The ANC faces mounting pressure from prominent leaders who want Zuma to step down.
Last week, renowned businessman and academic Sipho Pityana told about 5000 at former Eastern Cape premier Makhenkesi Stofile’s funeral that it was time for Zuma to give up the reins.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane yesterday also refused to be drawn. “This coming weekend we will meet other regions and after that we will meet as the PEC on Monday to consolidate all the inputs we have received from the regions.
“That meeting in East London was not to take decisions, so we cannot now entertain and comment on presentations made by individual branches.
“We can only do so once we have consolidated our report as the PEC,” said Mabuyane.
Numerous attempts were made to reach Mantashe, but were unsuccessful by late yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za with additional reporting by Rochelle de Kock, Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko and Yoliswa Sobuwa
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