The ANC is not Jesus Christ – Humphrey Mmemezi

By MOLAOLE MONTSHO

The African National Congress (ANC) does not need to die first to be strong, national executive committee (NEC) member Humphrey Mmemezi said on Friday.

“We are not Jesus Christ. We do not have to die. So that it means we have failed if we allow the ANC to die because the ANC is not for us  the ANC is for the people of South Africa…”

He said there was indiscipline among leaders of the ANC to such an extend that they voted against the ANC leader in Parliament.

“We know about 42 MPs some cabinet ministers they voted against the ANC leader, and yet they were mandated by the ANC. It is clear there is ill-discipline but, some people said it is because we are in a poisonous environment, we are in silly season…We are advising the branches they must be able to see those leaders who speak against, because all of us even if you are in a church, even if you are in a burial society you act according to rules. Your are journalist you act according the rules…”

Mmemezi and provincial chairperson Supra Mahumapelo called for unity at the North West provincial council in Rustenburg.

“The unity of the ANC is not about to satisfying issues of friendship.It is about putting the interest of the ANC above personal issues,” Mahumapelo said.

He said ANC members regardless of their positions must raised issues they were not happy about at their branches.

“If we can all do that there will be unity in the ANC,” he told delegate, explaining that the provincial executive community had tried to meet with disgruntled members in the Bojanala region but, failed on all their four attempts.

“The last attempt was last week, we had hope to meet with them but, we received a letter from their lawyers, stopping the meeting…”

In his address Mmemezi told delegates to be united.

“We have become our own enemies. The issue of unity is not a matter to talk about in the Provincial General Council.”

He warned delegates that there was a clear agenda against ANC leaders.

Mahumapelo said despite problems experienced in the province, its membership had increase more than any province.

Despite the call for unity and conference code of conduct stating that no one should distribute, wear or display any material that is deemed to be divisive, some delegates went into the conference wearing black T-shirts printed CR17 at the back and ” #siyavuma” in front.

The province is yet to pronounced on its preferred presidential candidate but, the ANC Women’s League had endorsed former African Union Commission chairperson Nkosaza Dlamini-Zuma, while the SA Communist Party and Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) preferred deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa. Stating it was a tradition in the ANC that deputy president were become presidents.

However, Mahumapelo said it was incorrect.

“The is no such tradition. In Mangaung deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe contested president Jacob Zuma, if there was such a tradition Kgalema was supposed to be the president. In the Mafikeng conference president Nelson Mandela did not hand over to Thabo Mbeki to be the deputy president. There were nomination and he [Mbeki] was the only candidate, the name of comrade Winnie Mandela was there but, she did not get support.”

He said in Polokwane Zuma contested the position with former president Thabo Mbeki.

“We have nomination forms, if the position of the president was reserved to deputy president it should have not been on the nomination form. All positions in the ANC are contested, all go through the nomination process,” he said.

Mahumapelo urged delegates to accept the out come of democratic process of the ANC.

He explained that in Polokwane the province supported Thabo Mbeki as their preferred presidential candidate but, when he lost they accepted the out of that process and support president Zuma as the leader of the ANC.

The provincial general council run deep into the night on Friday.  African News Agency