Throughout his school career he avoided being actively involved in student politics.
But politics novice Vuyolwethu Zungula believes he has what it takes to convince the majority of South Africans to place their faith in his new party in next year’s elections.
Zungula, 31, was hand-picked for the African Transformation Movement’s president by SA Council of Messianic Churches in Christ leaders.
The Mthatha-born and Butterworth-raised financial controller, said he was aware of the mammoth task. But he believes he will succeed where others have failed before – to get the ANC voted out of power. “I was shocked when I was selected as the president as I’ve never been active in any political party before. I didn’t see myself as a person that could lead such an important party.
“This is a God-inspired movement and I thought to myself who am to say ‘no’ when God wants to use me to bring change in SA.
“I thought God will lead me. Almost every time I need to talk to people, I don’t even write a speech because I want to speak from the heart, that way God will speak through me,” he said.
“I have never been directly involved in politics in university although I have always had an interest in it. However, being the national chairperson of the Twelve Apostle Students Association for six years exposed me to working with different people and exposed me to other people’s lives.”
Although the party was formed by Union of Zion, Twelve Apostle Church in Christ and Nazareth Baptist Church members, Zungula said he was a member of the Twelve Apostle Church in Christ. The party was launched in the Eastern Cape on Saturday.
Former DA chairperson Veliswa Mvenya is the party’s provincial chairperson.
Addressing the elephant in the room, Zungula said former president Jacob Zuma was not behind the formation of the party.
Zungula, who has a BCom in business management and accounting, said people speculated that Zuma was the brains behind the team because he visited the churches a lot during his presidency.
He said the party was funded by its members. “We have a R20 membership fee and we have made the request to our members that at least 20,000 people should donate R500 each. The third kind of donations are in kind donations where our members sponsor us with resources we need including banners and other resources.”
During the party’s launch, Zungula called for the reinstatement of the death penalty – and came under attack for it. “It can’t be right that children and elderly women are living in fear because of serial rapists. Children get raped in restaurants where they should be having fun. Serial murderers, rapists and drug traffickers are people who destroy our country and clearly indicate they don’t want to be part of society,” Zungula said...