Zuma threatens MPs who tried to vote him out

Rebels will face party discipline – president

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has declared war on party MPs who voted against him in the noconfidence vote to oust him last week. Speaking at the ANC Youth League-organised cadres’ forum in uPhongolo in northern Kwa-Zulu-Natal yesterday, where he was welcomed with rapturous applause‚ Zuma said the ANC constitution should be applied against those who had voted with the opposition in the National Assembly last week.

Speaking in an area in his stronghold territory‚ he said it was shocking that even the chairman of the ANC disciplinary committee was implicated.

He was referring to former cabinet minister Derek Hanekom, who chairs the party’s disciplinary committee and who is among those suspected to have voted with the opposition parties to oust Zuma.

It is calculated that about 30 ANC MPs voted against the party’s instructions during the noconfidence vote last Tuesday.

“The issue of what happened in parliament is something I will discuss with the officials‚ but that’s my business.

“We talk about everything as officials. I’m sure even officials will be asking what are members saying‚ but that’s not my business.

“My business is that‚ as the president‚ I will express my dissatisfaction about the conduct of some members and why.”

He read excerpts of the clauses of rule 25 of the ANC constitution which prohibits members from collaborating with “counter-revolutionary forces” or other parties against the ANC and said such individuals should face the party’s disciplinary committee.

“If you commit any of these acts it means the ANC has to take you to the disciplinary committee because it means you have broken the law‚” he said.

“However‚ more shocking is that the chair of the very same committee . . . that’s another matter we should discuss because he is also implicated in this.”

Zuma said personal interests could not usurp ANC interests.

“We should not have comrades who take the ANC for granted and who do not care about it. You hear a person saying ‘I’m following my conscience’.

“Please do not have your conscience‚ have an ANC conscience.

“The unity of the ANC is key and paramount to solving problems. Let’s not do otherwise.

“Many people died for this freedom and we are just toying with it.”

Zuma also used the platform to call for KwaZulu-Natal to be united ahead of the party’s upcoming national conference elective conference in December, which will decide his successor as party leader.

He said a divided KwaZuluNatal would weaken the ANC.

“I also urge alliance partners to stop squabbling. I’m glad that in KwaZulu-Natal you are not like that. I urge you to stick together and not be divided‚” he said.

Zuma said those who said he and his son, Duduzane‚ were corrupt must say what he had done to warrant such a label.

“Can’t I have friends?” he asked.

“I’m told there are also e-mails but I’m also waiting to see if any talk about me. I haven’t seen a Zuma e-mail‚” he said with a chuckle.

As he threw down the gauntlet another son‚ Edward‚ issued another of his fiery open letters which have landed him in hot water.

In yesterday’s missive, he said it was disgusting that the economy was still controlled by whites.