MK vets back Zuma probe
ADDRESSING the ANC and the United Democratic Front and South Africa in 1985 while in jail, Nelson Mandela said: “I cherish my own freedom dearly, but I care even more for your freedom. Too many have died since I went to prison. Too many have suffered for the love of freedom. I owe it to their widows, to their orphans, to their mothers and their fathers who have grieved and wept for them.”
He continued: “Not only have I suffered during these lonely wasted years. I am no less life-loving than you are. But I cannot sell the birthright of the people to be free, your freedom and mine cannot be separated.”
Addressing the 5th MKMVA Conference, President Jacob Zuma said: “We can’t therefore say that because we are politically free, we have democracy, that is the end, even if we starve to death.” The Guptas have ensured that the family of Zuma are not starving to death. This family lives in a R246 million palace and has a palace in Dubai.
At the age of 25, Thuthukile Zuma got a R1m-a-year job as chief of staff in the office of Siyabonga Cwele. The eThekwini Municipality gave R5m to an SABC drama because it features a daughter of Zuma. Khulubuse Zuma left Aurora mineworkers destitute but in the same period bought his wife a Maserati. Both of Zuma’s brothers live in R10m houses. Edward Zuma was living free in a posh mansion in uMhlanga because of the “generosity” of Roy Moodley, a staff-raider into ANC post-2007. Both Edward and Duduzane Zuma staged expensive weddings funded by business people.
When Zuma talked about “starving to death”, MKMVA delegates did not ask him about Gupta e-mails and how the gap between his family and starving MK veterans widened.
As an MK veteran, Ayanda Dlodlo did not explain why her comfort in Dubai was funded by the Guptas. No one defended the harassment of Pravin Gordhan, Ivan Pillay, Anwa Dramat, Robert McBride, Harry Gwala, Thami Zulu, Ben Langa, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe who participated in MK activities but did not steal, refusing to be “comrade thieves”.
MKMVA delegates did not take an oath that says “because Mandela, Gwala, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Oliver Tambo, Joe Slovo, Nomava Shangase, David Rabkin, Lenny Naidoo were not thieves therefore we shall not support the Guptas”.
We salute MK veterans who support a national call for a judicial committee on the report of advocate Thuli Madonsela.
SIYANDA MHLONGO KwaDukuza