Manyi to head ATM policies and strategies
CONTROVERSIAL former government spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi announced yesterday that he was leaving the ANC for the pro-death penalty African Transformation Movement (ATM).
He said after nearly three decades of being a member of the ANC, he found that the governing party was “tired and fatigued”, reversing the post-1994 gains, had lost its hegemony and moral compass and reached saturation point.
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga told Independent Media that Manyi could turn out to be a better politician than a senior public servant.
“It will not be a difficult transition for him. He may not be a politician but he has always seen himself as one,” Mathekga said.
According to Mathekga, the symbolic impact of prominent members leaving the ANC on the psyche of those who remain should not be underestimated as the governing party had deep divisions.
Manyi confirmed that he was planning to establish his party, the All Africa Decolonisation Congress (AADC), but was convinced to join the ATM instead.
Independent Media has reliably learnt that the AADC had been told by the Independent Electoral Commission to submit its application to be registered as a political party on January 14.
Manyi said there was no point in starting a new political party when he could join the ATM, which was formed last year by the SA Council of Messianic Churches in Christ (SACMCC), a faith-based-organisation that has declared itself non-tribal and non-racial.
Among SACMCC members are some of the country’s biggest African independent churches including Twelve Apostles Church in Christ and the Bantu Church of Christ, of which Manyi is a member.
Manyi will be a member of ATM’s national executive committee and be responsible for its policies and strategy.
The former Department of Labour DG and Government Communication and Information System boss said he had come to the sad conclusion that the ANC had run its course.
“The ANC has done all it could do and is now very tired and fatigued.”Manyi denied that he was abandoning the ANC due to his favoured candidate for ANC president, Minister in the Presidency responsible for monitoring and evaluation Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, failing to secure the party’s top position.
“I would have left even if NDZ (Dlamini Zuma) had won in Nasrec if there was the lacklustre performance of 2018,” Manyi said.
ATM leader Vuyolwethu Zungula denied that the new party had any links with former president Jacob Zuma or any of his associates.
In its election manifesto launched last month, the party promises to reinstate capital punishment to deal with serious crimes such as murder, and introduce a convict labour system to force prisoners to work for the state and contribute to the country’s welfare and economy.