BLADE FLAYS ANC CRITICS

THERE are endless attacks on the ANC because people want to be popular, SA Communist Party ( SACP) general- secretary Blade Nzimande said yesterday.

He said divisions in the tripartite alliance have created the opportunity for new attacks on the movement.

Speaking at the memorial lecture of former National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) regional chairman Selby Mayise in Carletonville, Johannesburg, Nzimande said being popular among the masses doesn’t mean being correct politically.

“This is very important to understand, comrades. There is nothing wrong with being popular. Indeed many of our leaders were popular among our people: Chris Hani, Joe Slovo, Elijah Barayi, Walter Sisulu and many others were popular.

“But their popularity was not from throwing fancy parties and drinking expensive whiskey and champagne with half-naked girls. Their popularity was not from launching endless attacks on the movement daily, and for being heroes of the newspapers. Their popularity was gained from their commitment to the people and to what is true and correct,” Nzimande said.

“It is not the ANC that is corrupt. It is some members of the ANC that commit corrupt activities. Mangaung has said to us you can no longer hide behind the banner of the ANC. If you are accused of corruption you must step aside and let the ANC continue with its work,” he said.

Nzimande also told the crowd to unite the NUM and be ready to defend it with their lives.

“We cannot allow the heroic role of the NUM to be wiped away by the bullet. The bosses have not been innocent in this. They financed Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and continue to aide its operations,” he said.