Mantashe aims jibe at Dullah Omar's family

ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the family of the late Dullah Omar could not erase his contribution to the party.

His comment came after the family issued a statement on Friday saying it no longer wanted Omar’s name to be associated with the ANC region covering the Cape Town metropolitan area.

The region intends to march to parliament on Tuesday to “defend democracy” as President Jacob Zuma faces a motion of no confidence.

In their statement‚ the family said many ANC leaders were more interested in themselves and their positions than serving the interests of the people.

Omar was a man of integrity‚ honesty and humility‚ they said‚ whose words and deeds were based on “similar principles‚ morality and values of many of the heroes of the liberation struggle‚ leaders and foot-soldiers”.

The statement added: “This contrasts sharply with the behaviour and actions in recent years of many ANC leaders and members up to and including President Jacob Zuma.”

The family said they had written to the ANC national executive committee asking that Omar’s name be dropped by the Cape metro region and disassociated with the planned march.

Mantashe said ANC provinces chose names for their regions. “We don’t just name a region after anybody. We name regions after people because of their contribution. We can’t rub off that contribution because the living have changed their minds‚” he said.

“If the living‚ because of their feelings‚ defy the feelings of the dead while they were living‚ I wouldn’t understand that.”

Dullah Omar region chairman Xolani Sotashe said as a result of Omar’s political work‚ his name was not the sole property of the family.