Don’t show masses middle finger, warns Mantashe
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has warned the party it will lose electoral support if it “gives the masses the middle finger”.
He was referring to the remarks of party leaders, including President Jacob Zuma, who dismissed as racists the protesters who have marched to demand his removal.
Mantashe’s warning came after a Rand Merchant Bank risk analysis said the ANC might lose power if Zuma was allowed to finish his term and if former AU chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Zuma’s former wife, succeeded him.
Mantashe’s comments echoed those of Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who told the media recently that protesters must be listened to.
This is further evidence that the ANC’s top leaders are divided as the party prepares to elect new leaders in December. Mantashe, Ramaphosa and ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize broke ranks three weeks ago when they publicly challenged Zuma’s decision to reshuffle his cabinet.
At a packed Matlosana auditorium in Klerksdorp, North West, Mantashe spoke out against the ANC’s reaction to the protests.
“How did we react? We insulted them instead of engaging them and bringing them back to the ANC,” said Mantashe.
“When we make mistakes, we get into denial mode and we get on a platform and say ‘we’ve made a mistake, so what?’ That’s when the masses become confused. You can’t give the masses the middle finger and expect the masses to come back.”
Mantashe told the audience that the tripartite alliance was in a “fractious and divided” state.
This comes in a week when the ANC, SACP and Cosatu failed to hold a scheduled alliance summit. The fallout over Zuma’s reshuffle appears to have paralysed the functioning of the alliance.
“The state of the movement is fractious. The alliance is divided. We can sit here and pretend that we are united, but we are divided. Our voice is inaudible. We are being challenged, not on the basis of the inferiority of our policies, but on the basis of the mistakes we make,” said Mantashe.
He said he was not convinced that land expropriation without compensation was the correct course, contradicting Zuma who has said that this is ANC policy.
Citing Zimbabwe as an example, Mantashe said he was impressed with the land programme in that country, but lamented that “it has destroyed food production”.
“Zimbabwe imports everything,” he said.
In Durban, SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande called on the ANC to consider avoiding a leadership contest in December by reaching consensus on who should succeed Zuma as party chief.
“In December, whoever thinks ‘we are going to go with a list and wipe out the other list,’ we are not going to get an ANC,” Nzimande said.
“We’re going to get a shell. Advice to the ANC is to go and negotiate who is going to lead the ANC in December. Don’t go for a shootout in a conference. Try and find a consensus, that’s our advice.”
Addressing about 500 SACP supporters at Curries Fountain stadium yesterday, Nzimande echoed Mantashe’s view that the alliance was divided and dysfunctional.
“Our revolution is in danger. The danger which it is facing is an investment strike by monopoly capital, as well as the billions of rands that Pravin [Gordhan] was trying to stop that are illicitly leaving this country.”
The state of the movement is fractious. The alliance is divided