IN FULL: Zuma critic Makhosi Khoza speaks ahead of no-confidence vote

Below is the full statement released by Dr Makhosi Khoza on Monday morning.

TAKING BACK OUR DEMOCRACY

Tomorrow’s vote of no confidence is not a “silver bullet” that will rescue our ailing country but it is the critical step that South Africa needs to start taking back our democracy. Our democracy has been usurped by a suffocating web of greed‚ corruption and patronage that has become the hallmark of the current ANC leadership. 

The ANC is my political home. The ANC is my heritage and I want to be very clear‚ the ANC is not rotten. In parliament‚ in the provinces and in our municipalities‚ there are many honest and patriotic ANC members who sought public office to genuinely serve all the people of our country. These people live the values and principles upon which the ANC was founded. Unfortunately‚ the leader of our party no longer subscribes to those values and principles. 

For seven votes of no confidence I was complicit in propping up a leader who has consistently put his own interests above those of the people whom he supposedly serves. As a ANC member I rationalised my votes believing a united ANC would eventually stand against the leader who has failed us. But that has not happened.

As a loyal ANC member‚ there is nothing simple about supporting tomorrow’s vote of no confidence. Retribution will be swift and costly. Good ANC MPs who choose to do the right thing are likely to find themselves immediately recalled and cast out of the party. These are people with homes and children‚ with families to feed and school fees to pay. Their single act of defiance will have costly ramifications beyond just themselves and it is important South Africans recognise the magnitude of what we are asking these ANC MPs to do. 

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Supporting the vote of no confidence is not a vote against the ANC. It is a vote against the kleptocracy President Jacob Zuma has actively developed during his tenure as the leader of the ANC and President of the country. It is a vote against corruption. It is a vote to protect the social security net that is critical to so many of our citizens and it is a vote in defense of our democracy. 

Corruption widens the racial and economic divides in this country. The actions of a few have stolen our freedom by oppressing us with corruption and greed. Our people will not progress if ethics‚ hard work‚ talent and diligence are doomed to play second fiddle to cronyism.

Today I call on all MPs to vote with their conscience. The road will not be easy but we will walk it together. We must do the right thing and the right thing is to support tomorrow’s vote of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma.