‘Smallanyana skeletons unite ANC’
Mmusi Maimane dismisses suggestions that DA protests will simply bring the ANC closer together
Amid the Democratic Alliance’s plans to mobilise support against President Jacob Zuma following his midnight Cabinet reshuffle, the party’s critics have called on it to handle its own internal troubles with Western Cape Premier Helen Zille before pointing fingers at the ANC. But DA leader Mmusi Maimane says there can be no comparison between Zille and the country’s embattled president. of us as a nation and we believe that this would be a great opportunity for us to demonstrate that, to call upon South Africans from all races.
Civil society and multiple players say: “We stand together and we believe we have lost confidence in Jacob Zuma and let’s build a South Africa for all.” We have to ask the question: What happens after that? The motion of no confidence is not a destination in and of itself. Let’s give those people who’ve come out publicly to say they oppose [Zuma’s reshuffle] a chance to vote. If Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa says he disagrees with that thing, can he come out and vote, show that he disagrees?
This is a crucial time in our nation. And I can feel the pain of so many who realise that the movement that they once loved, the ANC, is no longer the same. It’s a changed organisation. And therefore as it is, what future is there?
I think we must craft an alternative and show people that, actually, it’s not just about what the ANC does, it’s also about what the opposition does collectively to build an alternative for South Africans. the ANC is united by smallanyana skeletons. There’s a unity in the ANC around smallanyana skeletons. So when people say: “Hawu, you march to Luthuli House, you unite the ANC,” I say, how can we [unite the ANC]? They are united behind these smallanyana skeletons. For once Minister Bathabile Dlamini showed some great insight to say it’s corruption that binds us, it’s patronage that binds us. It’s no longer the people. It’s grossly miscalculated. First of all, I laid charges against Jacob Zuma three years ago and the police refused to investigate. Now, when it comes to the issue of Premier Zille, I’ve also put a charge to her. We are investigating. We are proceeding. There is a natural process of law. The ANC doesn’t even do that. I’ve never once defended any [of Zille’s] actions; I’ve simply stood up and said the party is taking its own process. To compare Jacob Zuma to Helen Zille, I think that it’s really quite bizarre when you think about what people are comparing here. Jacob Zuma is destroying South Africa. Destroying it. His sole project is to make sure that the nine million people without work will soon be 10-million. All of us will be paying extra for everything we consume in this country. This is a struggle.