Pityana hits out at ANC and Zuma at Stofile funeral

Former Director-general of Foreign Affairs Sipho Pityana says if President Jacob Zuma was here to attend Reverend Makhenkesi Stofile, he would have pleaded with Zuma to resign.

Now that he is not here, he asked the more than 10 000 mourners to use Stofile's funeral as a turning point to rid the ANC of all bad tendencies such as corruption, nepotism such that the ANC can return to its former glory.

May his (Stofile) wish for the movement to go back to its former glory during his last few days not be in vain," said Pityana. "Zemkinkomo magwalandini," he added. He said he was disappointed that President Zuma was not here to listen to him make all these pleas. Pityana said they had a two-hour meeting with Stofile on New Year's eve where they did an introspection of where the Country, the ANC in particular, was going. He said one thing was clear, the ANC is in denial of the challenges it is faced with. But OR Tambo advised members to be loyal but "members must have questioning loyalty".

He made reference to the Marikana attacks by police in August 2012, a massacre which saw 34 miners killed. This came after the death of Andries Tatane at the hands of police, while he was protesting for service delivery.

Pityana said: "Which ANC makes statemates and attacks judges and calls them counter-revolutionaries without any conference resolutions?

"Which ANC would kill people in cold-blood because they want salary increases? We murder in full glare of international media Andries Tatane. We fail our own. We steal from the poor. All these things we do with absolute impunity," he added.

He said it took Desmond Tutu to say "you do not represent me" but everyone else is keeping quiet while the ANC is losing its founding principles. "It's time for new leadership," Pityana added.

Athol Trollip is also here. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged the presence of Nelson Mandela Metro Mayor. Former Mayor and Metro ANC Councillor Danny Jordaan, former Defence Minister Mluleki George, deputy sports minister, as well as Heritage Couincil's CEO Sonwabile Mangcotywa are also in attendance