Dlamini Zuma won’t be a sore loser
The national conference results won’t deter her
ANC presidential hopeful and former African Union chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma says should she lose at the party’s 54th national elective conference in December, she’ll remain working for the party.
Dlamini Zuma, who has preached unity since accepting her nomination as the ANC’S next leader and possibly the first woman to lead the party, yesterday told a packed stadium at an ANC Women’s League mini-rally in Kwamhlanga outside Pretoria that those who lose at the conference should work with the winners to move the party forward.
And would she work with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa if he emerged victorious?
Dlamini Zuma simply replied: “He (Ramaphosa) doesn’t own the organisation. No one does. I’m a member of the ANC and I will continue with the work. I’m a cadre of the organisation.”
She lashed out at her detractors saying they were hellbent on tarnishing her image simply because she still carries the Zuma surname.
“They are dishonest and they know it. They have never used it against me even when I was at Home Affairs. He (Zuma) appointed me and they said nothing. I also went to Addis and nothing was said. They only raise it now when it suits them,” she said. She also added the Zuma surname has never been a curse to her.
“When I got divorced it was important to keep my children’s identity. They stayed with the Zuma surname. They wanted to abandon it but I wouldn’t allow it. It was important for them to keep their identity. I have kept that surname for the past 20 years and won’t change it.”
Responding to suggestions that she seeks to abandon her ambitions of leading the ANC, Dlamini Zuma said quitting had never crossed her mind.
Media onslaught
“Some of the challenges I have encountered in this campaign is the media onslaught where they are taking sides and so they are campaigning against me. But these are challenges that half of the nation faces. These, however, are not the determining factor of who should become president because the branches have to decide,” she said.
While the ANC Women’s League and the ANC Youth League have fully endorsed Dlamini Zuma to take up the reins, some of her comrades distanced themselves from her campaign.
“Fortunately there are business people in South Africa who are patriotic and they have no problem with me. Some of them I’m going to be meeting soon. Some of them I’ve already met. They want to contribute towards making a prosperous South Africa. These are business people who want to contribute towards making South Africa a better country. So, I’ve no issue with many business people and I think those who are patriotic will come on board because they know we are actually trying to avoid a situation where this country will be unstable.”
Dlamini Zuma said her aim was to focus on the difficulties facing the country which included poverty, unemployment, inequality and violent crimes.
Commenting on the political impasse in Zimbabwe, Dlamini Zuma highlighted that while it was clear Zimbabweans sought a new leader, she was happy that there has been no bloodshed thus far.
“Ideally if everything was going according to plan we should have had a process where elections took place. However we are in a different position now. What is required is an amicable solution that does not shed blood but that will take Zimbabwe forward and that is acceptable to Zimbabwe and which is in the interest of the people of that country,” she said.
She pointed out that it was vital that protocol is followed and for South Africa and the world to listen to the efforts that Zimbabwe is making in resolving its own issues and the intervention by the SADC.