ANC man ‘not with MK’
CROSSOVER: WESTERN CAPE PEC MEMBER DENIES HE JUMPED SHIP
Former youth league leader says he has not switched his political allegiance.
Western Cape ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) member Silas Rataza has distanced himself from the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party because of his previous affiliation with the ANC’s Radical Economic Transformation (RET) faction.
The former ANC Youth League leader was named as MK coordinator for the Western Cape ahead of a bout of election campaigns in all nine provinces.
His name and cellphone number appear on the MK’s list of provincial leaders released by party secretary Thanduxolo Dyodo.
“I have yet to investigate how my name and number popped up on their list. I am a member of the ANC in good standing,” said Rataza. “I am setting the record straight that I haven’t joined the MK party nor have I met with any of their members or leaders.”
After the ANC RET faction splintered following the expulsion of leaders such as Ace Magashule, some members have left to join MK.
Rataza said, as a former RET supporter himself, his former comrades could have forwarded his name without his knowledge.
“Comrade Mathabatha [Limpopo ANC chair Stan Mathabatha] also had to clarify he was not an MK member. Some in Gauteng had to do the same.
“The trend is that these are people who supported RET [those who are now MK members]. I think they are testing the waters among RET supporters.
“Also, there are others who might have a soft spot for Zuma. The contradiction happens when the admiration is associated with that party,” he said.
Dyodo said that the party would only comment after seeing Rataza’s statement denying his MK membership.
ANC Western Cape spokesperson Khalid Sayed said the party was satisfied with Rataza’s statement that he remained an ANC member.
The MK party is registered with the Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) and is pulling out all the stops to gain support before this year’s highly contested national elections.
Many sympathisers of former president Jacob Zuma, including other political parties, have either joined or pledged support for the MK.
Zuma has already embarked on the campaign trail for the party and has become the face of MK.
Political analyst at the Nelson Mandela University, Dr Bernard Sebake, said many ANC members were “on the fence” regarding MK.
“This is because they do not know how the party is going to emerge as we move into national elections,” he said.
“It is not easy to declare support for another party and ditch your own which you’ve been a part of for many decades,” said Sebake.
He likened the MK and ANC issues to the formation of the Congress of the People (Cope) in 2009 after several ANC leaders had left the ruling party.
After Cope’s launch, many prominent ANC leaders such as former president Thabo Mbeki were associated with the party, but never joined it.
“They just want to buy time to see the evolution of this new party. It is a matter of whether it is worth it to let go of your position and start from scratch alongside Zuma.
“Some might have agreed [to join MK] but fear the exposure, especially those in the higher echelons. Their concern is what will their future be if the ANC loses elections, that’s their concern,” Sebake said.
I haven’t joined MK, nor have I met with them