eThekwini metro mayor Zandile Gumede has urged African National Congress Youth League members to protect President Jacob Zuma and the party.
Gumede, who is also ANC eThekwini regional chairperson, said: “We call on our youth to unite and close ranks and defend the ANC.”
Speaking at the ANCYL’s eThekwini region elective conference in Durban on Saturday, she said Thursday’s failed no confidence vote against Zuma in Parliament was another “useless motion” formed by the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters.
“The motion was defeated. This is how democracy works. However, we must not sleep and think that the enemy is not working. The enemy is using everything and everyone, including you as young comrades.”
She warned that factions inside the ANC were dangerous and were weakening it. “When the ANC is weak, some of us choose to stay at home instead of voting, because of disappointment.”
ANC members had to stay strong for the good of the organisation. “From today we must not relax. Next year we need to be united so we get this 2019 [general election]. We don’t want to get just a victory; we need to get 85 percent. We need to double our efforts and win the coming election,” she said.
The ANC needed another “movement of young lions” who would take on those trying to bring about the ANC’s downfall. “President Zuma is being attacked for his radical economic transformation programme. He is being attacked for implementing the Freedom Charter and ANC resolutions. He refused to be used to further the white capitalist agenda,” Gumede claimed.
She said Zuma was developing township economies and rural areas as well as creating black industrialists. She also dismissed the “Gupta story” as “not a real story”.
The “State of Capture” report by former public protector Thuli Madonsela had “found no wrongdoing” and needed to be challenged in court.
“Madonsela is going around in the media attacking the president of the ANC. Let us defend the ANC. The real veterans must rise and defend the ANC, not Vyjie [Mentor],” said Gumede.
Referring to calls by former heavyweight ANC veterans that Zuma should step down because he was damaging the country and the party, Gumede said veterans were supposed to be a guide for the ANC.
“We don’t appreciate being attacked at dinners and funerals. We have won the battle inside the Parliament. We must now go outside on the streets and win the battle. The enemy is attacking us on social media and television every day,” she said.
Municipalities needed to reconsider whether they advertised in publications opposed to the ruling party. She challenged the youth to start their own newspapers and media houses.
“We cannot pay money [to media] for being attacked, we need to review this thing, especially to those who are in government.”
South Africa Today – South Africa News
