Pressure on Zuma grows
THE ANC’s stance on “state capture” – wealthy figures or families inveigling their way into positions of government influence – is emphatic: no. Expressing contempt for it, declaring that the ANC would dissect every allegation of it, and inviting any more claims of it, the party displayed the political footwork it is engaged in.
Its executive condemned “with contempt” underhand efforts at influence. But it conspicuously had no disapproval for the figure reportedly at the centre of the Gupta row, President Jacob Zuma.
In fact, it aired hearty approval of him after a three-day weekend meeting. On his appointment of ministers and deputy ministers, the national executive committee confirmed its “full confidence” in Zuma.
This requires citizens to believe that there are those predatory types lurking out there, luring; but there are no takers – at least, not at the presidential level. It is effectively arguing that the facts require only indictment of one side.
But pressure is growing on the Zuma administration, in spite of denials of malfeasance. Business, churches and ANC stalwarts and allies are highly critical and speaking out.
Pressure is coming, too, from inside the ANC. The startling remark by minister and ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini would have added to it, albeit inadvertently.
She warned those who spoke out, like Deputy Minister Mcebisi Jonas, that everyone in the ANC executive had their “small skeletons”. All hell would thus break loose if they started hauling them out, she said.
This was astonishing, implying a body of people bound together by indiscretion or worse, the binding agent between them being their silence.
WE HAVE seen examples of this before, where dated accusations suddenly emerge. This suggests that an individual’s lapse, tacitly tolerated for some time, is suddenly produced as a political tool to deal with that person.
So, too, with Zuma. It seems there are some in the ANC who believe his time is nigh. Or should be.