Politicians turn up in numbers to bid farewell
‘ANC protected a rotten project’
In his eulogy to poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa promised him that his newly elected leadership will do well in his honour.
Yesterday at the funeral of Kgositsile, Ramaphosa said: “And all those who have been entrusted to lead our people, we will do well to honour Kgositsile by putting arts and culture at the centre of nationbuilding. We promise our departed brother that we will give new life to the revolutionary assertion that culture is a weapon to create a just and humane society.”
Ramaphosa was joined at the funeral by several politicians including two of his top six, chairman Gwede Mantashe and treasurer-general Paul Mashatile.
The other three – party deputy president David Mabuza, secretary-general Ace Magashule and his deputy Jessie Duarte – were a noshow at the funeral.
Sowetan understands that Magashule, who is still the Free State premier, summoned his MECs to an extended executive council meeting in Parys yesterday.
According to a directive from Magashule, which Sowetan has seen, all head of departments were ordered to present vacant posts in departments.
Former president Kgalema Motlanthe and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also attended the funeral.
Former president Thabo Mbeki’s director-general, Frank Chikane, told Sowetan on the sidelines of the funeral that people should not put too much meaning into the absence of the three officials.
He pointed out that absence may have something to do with ANC logistics.
Chikane said the problem was that in Polokwane and Mangaung a leadership that was elected had protected a project that was rotten.
“That is why you couldn’t fix it (ANC),” Chikane said.
He warned that corruption and unethical behaviour would divide the ANC.
“If you have corruption, unethical behaviour you will divide the ANC. If you focus on what the ANC was established to do there is no chance of you dividing the ANC,” Chikane said
ANC Veterans’ League president Snuki Zikalala said the league did not want a divided ANC.
Zikalala was optimistic that the new national executive committee, which is meeting from tomorrow, would hold all leaders including Zuma as the head of the state accountable.
“It is not about him [Zuma]. It is about failure of our system to hold one person to account.
Gauteng premier David Makhura said unethical leaders should be rejected as an honour to Kgositsile’s legacy.