Sisulu blames Zuma for ANC crisis
Sisulu admits ANC is in an awkward space after scandals
Human Settlements Minister and presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu has blamed President Jacob Zuma for negative sentiment against the ANC.
In an interview with Sowetan, Sisulu admitted that the ANC was in “an awkward space”.
“We are in an awkward space. The public mood seems to have been generated that the president should leave,” she said. “We have seen this in protests. I don’t know why our system is taking time to deal with the matter.”
There have been numerous calls for Zuma to step down following a series of scandals involving him, which are said to be hurting the ANC.
Sisulu – the daughter of Struggle veterans Walter and Albertina Sisulu – also cited leaked Gupta e-mails and the abuse scandal involving Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana as negative sentiment against the governing party.
Sisulu said the ANC should sort out these challenges before the 2019 general elections.
Commenting on her campaign, which is in full swing, Sisulu revealed that she wanted to restore the character, trust and credibility of the ANC. “I am not fighting against anyone. We can give the hope that people had in the ANC,” she said.
Sisulu has been approached by several ANC branches and is the first ANC leader to adopt a global norm of how leadership races should be held. She was nominated by ANC Women’s League structures in the Eastern Cape with banners displaying “Lindiwe Sisulu for President 2017”.
Sisulu is expected to interact with communities as part of her presidential campaign themed, “It’s a must”, at an event organised by an ANC Lebaka branch in Mohlabaneng, Limpopo, this weekend. The branch has Zuma loyalist Malo A Botsheba and EFF leader Julius Malema’s longtime friend Joshua Matlou as some of its members.
Botsheba, who is one of the event’s organisers, said he invited Sisulu because she is the only ANC leader who can unite the party. “We don’t want factions in the ANC,” he said. “We want unity.”
He declined to comment when asked if he had dumped Zuma.
We can give the hope that people had in the ANC