ANCWL slammed for early backing of Dlamini Zuma

THE ANC in the Western Cape has slammed the ANC Women’s League for its “premature pronouncement” of its preferred candidate to succeed President Jacob Zuma as party president, saying the league was sowing disunity within the party.

The ANCWL publicly backed Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma as its preferred candidate to become president at its elective conference last month.

ANC acting provincial chairperson Khaya Magaxa said: “Premature pronouncements, particularly those of the women’s league, serve to undermine the integrity of the organisation and create an atmosphere of anarchy.

“Nobody is allowed to make pronouncement on preferred candidates. By doing that, they (ANCWL) are causing divisions.”

ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said they would not pronounce on a slate or a name of the person, but would choose a leader who would get the ANC out of its “quagmires”.

“We will engage everybody and decide on a leader who will unify the party.”

In a reference to former president Thabo Mbeki’s alleged use of the National Prosecuting Authority to prosecute Zuma, Magaxa said: “We condemn the use of state machinery to settle political scores.

“Barely over a decade ago, prosecutorial decisions were manipulated to suit the political calendar of the ANC.”

He also took a swipe at Zuma. “The PEC (provincial executive committee) is of the view that the prosecution and subsequent withdrawal of comrade Pravin Gordhan cannot be seen outside the larger context of corporate capture of the state.

“The web of corporate capture is extremely corrosive and erodes our sovereignty and confidence of our people in the liberation movement.”

Jacobs admitted the ANC was losing support, and said: “We need to regain the trust of the communities.”