Khoza fears for life, quits Tambo lecture

EMBATTLED ANC MP Makhosi Khoza was yesterday forced to withdraw from delivering a lecture in memory of Oliver Tambo in Durban, fearing for her life after her adversaries had allegedly threatened her.

Khoza had been invited to deliver the lecture by the Young Communist League (YCL) of South Africa in Inanda’s Ward 57, north of Durban.

She was going to speak at Tambo Plaza Hall, which is near the home of the ANC’s eThekwini regional chairperson and eThekwini Municipality Mayor Zandile Gumede.

The situation became very tense when Khoza’s supporters and pro-Zuma ANC supporters had a confrontation.

Both factions had armed themselves with bush knives, firearms, sticks and stones and looked ready to pounce on each before police arrived. An SACP activist, Nontokozo Nsele, sustained a head injury from a stone apparently thrown from within the crowd mostly made up of people wearing ANC T-shirts bearing President Jacob Zuma’s face.

Nsele said she and other SACP members were walking to the Tambo Plaza Hall when they were confronted by ANC supporters.

“Without provocation they swore at us and attacked us with stones,” said Nsele.

YCL secretary in the area Nduduzo Chamane described Ward 57 as being “the twin sister of Ward four in Ntshanga” when it came to tensions between ANC and SACP supporters.

Khoza is in trouble with the ANC for calling for a secret ballot in the motion of no-confidence against Zuma.

She will be appearing before the ANC KZN disciplinary committee on September 10.

Chamane said Zuma’s supporters had mobilised to prevent Khoza from coming to the ward. “They treat the SACP as their worst opposition in the ward as Makhosi Khoza is treated as the main opposition in the ANC nationally,” said Chamane.

He said SACP members in Inanda had invited Khoza to tell her that they shared her views about Zuma.

“Comrade Makhosi is one of us because of her views, even though she is not a card-carrying member of the SACP.

“She is saying South African society is saying ‘enough is enough’ and she is prepared to vote with her conscience, which is what we support,” said Chamane.

YCL deputy national secretary Isaac Luthuli said that after yesterday morning’s incident Khoza had decided to withdraw from going to the lecture.

“She is no longer coming because of these people (Zuma supporters).

“We tried to persuade her to come despite the threats, but we understood when she declined because her safety is very important,” said Luthuli.

Zuma supporters declined to comment and instead referred questions to ANC provincial spokesperson Mdumiseni Ntuli who distanced the ANC leadership from people who had gathered to intimidate Khoza.