Former president Jacob Zuma, whose uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party is promising to topple his former political home the ANC, has called out leaders in his new party who are aiming for positions in Parliament.
Zuma was addressing thousands of party supporters on Saturday afternoon at the Orlando stadium in Soweto, where the MK party held its final rally ahead of 29 May general elections.
Supporters who had been bussed from different parts of the country — mainly his home province of KwaZulu-Natal — started arriving at the stadium in the early hours of the day, donned in MK party regalia and singing struggle songs.
True to form, Zuma arrived at least three hours after the programme was scheduled to start, flanked by party members dressed in what is commonly known as the army uniform of the original uMkhonto we Sizwe, which was the military wing of the ANC. Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile, who is poised to lead the party after the elections, was also in attendance.
Ahead of Zuma’s arrival, the party brought out well known artists including Big Zulu and Mthandeni who entertained the crowds.
He criticised political parties that have recently mushroomed, accusing them of being driven by ambitions to be in parliament rather than to fight for the poor.
“We have too many political parties who are taking money from white people. Going to parliament is now a means to an end. We are too old to be fighting thieves, I should be enjoying my retirement with my grandchildren,” he said.
Taking shots at his own comrades within the MK party, Zuma said those who wished to be part of its national executive committee (NEC) would not become government ministers.
“We can’t all go to parliament. You can’t just assume because you are in the NEC you will go to parliament. There are many responsibilities that await us, not just parliament,” he said.
“We are not here for positions, we are here to change the lives of black people. We have interim structures, structures that are temporal and yet there are people who think this is a step up for them. There are people who
think they are here for positions. Mail and Guardian
