ANC stalwarts point to ‘political crisis’

Representatives of stalwarts and veterans of the ANC have lambasted the leadership for failing to deal with party ill-discipline and corruption involving President Jacob Zuma.

The veterans, along with Umkhonto we Sizwe veterans from the MK Council and their fraternal organisations such as Sanco, Cosatu, SACP and ANC Veterans League and civil society organisations, made a strong declaration expressing unhappiness with the current national executive committee led by Zuma.

The group said they were united by their love and concern for the country.

Yesterday, the stalwarts issued a statement following a three-day national consultative conference, which was boycotted by the ANC.

The stalwarts and veterans had been attempting to unite the ANC before the upcoming national elective conference to avoid a conflict and possible split, but their attempts fell on deaf ears as the leadership vilified them instead.

“We observe that the current elected leadership of the ANC is paralysed and unable to deal with ill-discipline, incompetence and corruption that point directly to the highest office in the land,” read the statement.

The stalwarts said they were deeply troubled by the abandonment of the ANC’s historic values and principles.

This had effectively undermined popular confidence in government, parliament, state-owned entities and other public institutions.

“This is an unprecedented political crisis. “We are also deeply hurt by what we regard to be a betrayal of our people’s long-standing support and trust in the ANC,” the statement continued. “We are deeply disturbed by the leadership’s disdain for cooperation with relevant community-based organisations, thus relinquishing the ANC’s leadership of society.”

They abhorred the mismanagement of the country’s economy which led to unprecedented unemployment rates, increased poverty, marginalisation of women and suffering of the youth.

“The appalling state of the nation’s education system at all levels continues to promote marginalisation of significant sections of our society, especially our youth, which is destroying the lives of future generations.

“The increased crime rates and the deplorable insecurity within our vulnerable communities in the background of the corrupted and dysfunctional policing and prosecution services, together with unrelenting and dehumanising gender violence, leaves a sore eye to witness.

“Many ANC branches have fallen prey to gate keeping, as a result of factions seeking political office to plunder public resources rather than to serve the people.”

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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