Don’t fight the courts‚ Netshitenzhe tells the ANC

Respected ANC National Executive Committee member Joel Netshitenzhe has spoken against fellow party leaders who have called for the judiciary to be reined-in following damning court rulings against government.

Speaking at the provincial congress of the ANC in the Northern Cape taking place in Colesberg‚ Netshitenzhe said such leaders were talking from ill-informed positions and should be reminded that the disbursal of power to the different arms of state was a deliberate revolutionary act on the part of the ANC.

Netshitenzhe suggested that their actions and utterances were irrational and appeared to be borne out of irritation. "The approach to reconciliation was a deliberate revolutionary act on the part of the ANC because of the balance of forces.

• Opposition parties seek legal advice on interdicting Molefe return to EskomOpposition parties and the Freedom Movement have said they will seek legal advice on whether they can interdict Brian Molefe from returning to Eskom as its chief executive. 

These days when we are irritated by what the Constitutional Court says‚ we complain that the disbursal of power (to various arms of state) was a compromise and it must go. Those who argue so are wrong‚" said Netshitenzhe. "The disbursal of power was a deliberate act on our part.

Nelson Mandela did not sell out." Netshitenzhe's rebuke comes after President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday announced that he had filed an application for leave to appeal the decision of the North Gauteng High Court ordering Zuma to submit the record and reasons of the cabinet reshuffle of March 31.

• ANC leads condemnation of Molefe's return to EskomThe ANC on Friday joined a chorus of condemnation against Brian Molefe's return to Eskom as chief executive. 

Zuma‚ laying the ground for his appeal‚ said Judge Bashier Vally should have found that executive decisions did not fall within the ambit of Rule 53 adding that the DA was not entitled to the record of decision.

Netshitenzhe‚ outlining the strategy and tactics document‚ lashed the ANC for claiming to be the strategic centre of power while it frequently expressed surprise at the actions of its deployees in government and state owned companies‚ such as the return of Brian Molefe to Eskom.

The Eskom board confirmed that Molefe had returned to the helm of the power utility after Minister of Public Enterprises Lynn Brown rejected Eskom's decision to pay out R30 million to Molefe for his service.

Netshitenzhe said the ANC was "disappointed and angered" by the decision‚ showed it had lost its DNA. "A strategic centre cannot allow itself to go on a frolic of its own.

A strategic centre cannot be surprised at what its deployed cadres do. That is a strategic centre‚ disappointed and angered by the actions of its deployees.

That is a sign that the vanguard has lost its DNA. That means the revolution is not in the hands of the vanguard but in someone else's hands. And with these allegations of state capture‚ that is worrying‚" said Netshitenzhe to rapturous applause from ANC delegates.