Zuma slams MPs who voted against him

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma has joined calls for the ANC to crack the whip over the ANC MPs who voted for his removal in Parliament, as the fallout over the motion of no-confidence deepened.

“Those who say they have their own conscience are comrades who take the ANC for granted. Comrades should have an ANC conscience,” Zuma said.

Zuma, fresh from narrowly surviving the attempt to oust him, said the MPs had played with fire and that he would be “happy if the party took a tough decision”.

“We want unity in the ANC, where when decisions are made, all members follow those decisions,” he said.

Zuma told hundreds of supporters yesterday at a cadres’ forum in Phongolo, northern KwaZulu-Natal, that ANC MPs who defied the party line had contravened the organisation’s constitution.

“That is why I want the ANC constitution to work. For those who have two consciences to make space (in the National Assembly) for those who have an ANC conscience.

“Not even five years after they voted for the ANC, they are now voting against it,” Zuma said.

Zuma said he was confused as “even the ANC disciplinary committee chairperson (Derek Hanekom) is accused of being part of the MPs” who voted against him.

He claimed that the no-confidence vote against him was a ploy to ultimately remove the ANC from power.

Zuma accused the MPs of aiding enemies of the ANC to divide a democratically elected party by trying to remove the party from power.

“They (opposition) are at a point where they are comfortable to remove us because they have infiltrated the ANC. It’s unheard of that an ANC member would go against the ANC. It’s even rare that ANC members want to use their consciences,” Zuma said.

He added that “comrades who spoke ill of other comrades in the media” were anti-ANC unity. “Unity of the ANC is the only way to protect our freedom.”

ANC treasurer Zweli Mkhize, the ANC Youth League, the MK Military Veterans Association and cabinet members such as Lindiwe Zulu have also called for action against the rogue MPs.

But the ANC at Luthuli House, its headquarters, and its tripartite alliance partners, SACP and Cosatu, have warned against holding a witch-hunt.

Zuma defended his relationship with the Guptas. “When you are friends with someone, is that corrupt?” he asked.