We will work with Ramaphosa's ANC‚ says Zuma family

The family of former President Jacob Zuma has called on ANC members and supporters to practice maximum restraint in the wake of his departure.

Zuma’s son‚ Edward Zuma‚ said in statement that the family was aware that ANC members were disgruntled by the recall‚ and that some were calling for the boycott of the 2019 general elections.

“We believe that the ANC remains the home for all the people of this country. The party was created to unite all the people of South Africa and mobilise them all to struggle for the liberation of all those who were oppressed by apartheid - blacks in general and Africans in particular – as well as to tirelessly work to ensure a better life for all the people of this country‚” the statement reads.

Edward said that the Zuma family fully supported the new ANC leadership that was elected in December last year‚ led by Cyril Ramaphosa.

“We are calling upon all members of the ANC to close ranks and support the leadership as we prepare for the State of the Nation Address‚ where the programme of action of the ANC-led government will be unveiled‚” the statement reads.

Edward said that‚ over the next few months‚ members of the Zuma family would campaign for the ANC in the cities‚ suburbs and townships.

“We will mobilise for the support of the ANC in the rural areas and appeal to the people under Amakhosi and Izinduna‚ and all traditional structures.”

Edward called for the resolutions that were taken by the ANC December conference to be implemented.

“The implementation of the ANC resolutions on land‚ free education and radical economic transformation should be the focus instead of discussing leadership preferences‚” he said.

He also sang praises of the ruling party‚ saying that the ANC had delivered basic services over the past 23 years.

“Sound management of the economy‚ good governance coupled with policies that attracted foreign investments and the creation of sustainable growth of the economy‚ resulted in the reversal of spiralling unemployment and the creation of a stable economy that withstood such challenges as those which devastated economies elsewhere in the world in the late 90’s‚” Edward said.