MK council slams ANC's Tony Yengeni

The Umkhonto we Sizwe national council has come out strongly against Tony Yengeni, accusing him of failing to lead the project of unity in the ANC.

In a press conference on Thursday, MK council secretary-general, Gregory Nthatisi, criticised Yengeni for failing in his role as the chairperson of the peace and stability subcommittee in the party, which was tasked with driving unity in the party.

“The ANC NEC gave that responsibility [to unite the ANC] to the NEC subcommittee on peace led by comrade Tony Yengeni to facilitate our unity. So far comrade Tony Yengeni has proven himself either incapable of leading that project or deliberately flip flopping it because of his partiality,” said Nthatisi.

He said Yengeni had been seen addressing a gathering of the radical economic transformation faction in the ANC and that Yengeni worked to distort ANC policy positions in favour of populism.

Yengeni reportedly told President Cyril Ramaphosa to lead by example and resign from the party at an ANC national working committee last month over the CR17 campaign funds matter.

The meeting was in the lead-up to a national executive committee directive which resolved to ask members accused of corruption to step aside from their positions.

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Nthatisi further criticised former president Jacob Zuma for his letter slamming Ramaphosa, responding to an earlier one by Ramaphosa about corruption in the ANC.

He called Zuma's reply a senseless rant and welcomed the decision of the ANC NEC to support Ramaphosa's stance on corruption.

Nthatisi criticised party members who resisted the party's calls for them to step aside from their positions, amid fresh moves to renew the ANC and rid it of corruption.

“We are shocked and disturbed that instead of witnessing actions supporting the spirit of the ANC NEC regarding that letter [Ramaphosa's letter against corruption], we see no movement, except a clear indication of deficiency by those leaders who must lead by example,” said Nthatisi.

He said utterances by ANC MP Bongani Bongo that he was waiting for the ANC to communicate with him on the need to step aside from his position were meant to disturb the course of the party's renewal.

Nthatisi further slammed Nelson Mandela Bay Metro councillor Andile Lungisa's stance, where he refused to accept suspension from the party.

He also criticised the return of former eThekwini mayor, Zandile Gumede, and VBS Mutual Bank accused ANC leaders Dani Msiza and Florence Radzilani.

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