DA: ‘For the ANC – it’s cronyism first‚ and the people of SA last’

21 March 2016 - 11:34 By TMG Digital

President Jacob Zuma and the African National Congress (ANC) “are two sides of the same coin: both morally bankrupt and both taking South Africa backward”.That’s how the Democratic Alliance (DA) summed out what it called the “special resolution” taken by the ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC) about “the Gupta-Zuma state capture”.The DA called it “simply a defence of President Zuma and an attack on anyone who questions his fitness for office”.“While the ANC should have used this NEC meeting as an opportunity to recall President Zuma‚ the NEC chose rather to honour him with a standing ovation and a special resolution of support‚ indicating that for the ANC – it’s cronyism first‚ and the people of South Africa last‚” it said.The party referenced a Sunday Times report in which former Government Communication & Information System (GCIS) CEO Themba Maseko “joins a ever-growing list of ANC members who have spoken out” on the president’s relationship with the Gupta family.“While the NEC sat (on Sunday) morning defending Zuma‚ South Africans across the country read how the Guptas had strong-armed yet another senior member of government…into making Gupta-friendly business decisions‚” the DA said.“Mr Maseko was allegedly told by the Guptas to help them channel government advertising funding to their newspaper.“The ANC has degenerated into a crony network that has long forgotten the people of this country.”The Guptas’ Oakbay Investments issued a statement saying Maseko’s allegations – which also included a claims of a phone call from Zuma ahead of a meeting with them - “are totally unfounded” and “clearly part of an ongoing‚ coordinated campaign involving others‚ to continue an already vicious politically driven attack‚ using the Gupta family as a proxy”.Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa also disputed Maseko’s claims about advertising spend in the The New Age.Last week‚ deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas publicly confirmed reports that the Guptas had offered him the finance ministry late last year while Nhlanhla Nene still held the post.As well as Jonas and Maseko‚ the DA listed among the “ever-growing list of ANC members who have spoken out” the former chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises‚ Vytjie Mentor; public service and administration minister‚ Ngoako Ramathlodi; and former public enterprises minister‚ Barbara Hogan...

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