'Arrogant' public representatives must be recalled, says Zweli Mkhize

ANC presidential hopeful Dr Zweli Mkhize has called on leaders to emulate the selflessness of former president of the ANC Oliver Tambo by not being aloof towards the masses.

“People should not just motor vehicle blue lights. The reason some people have turned their backs on the ANC is because of the widening gap between its leaders and them,” he said.

Mkhize was giving the Oliver Tambo memorial lecture at a packed Pietermaritzburg city hall on Saturday.

“People must be assured that they can recall an arrogant public representative that does not show them respect to no longer represent their view and concerns. The ANC must guarantee our people that those who fail to implement resolutions to transform our society will be replaced,” he said

The ANC's upcoming elective conference should flesh out solutions to transform the lives of the people, he said. It should also invoke the spirit of Tambo, who would have called for unity.

“Let us build a strong ANC, SACP and Cosatu. Let’s end poverty and inequality.”

The economy of the rural areas was also in need of a major shake-up where employment opportunities would be created, he said.  

“Let’s build factories which would be close to the people in townships. They are people who grow up in age without having received an opportunity to be gainfully employed. Instead they are reliant on social grants.”

He also spoke out against the scourge of crime: “Elimination of crime such as violent attacks, murders, rape and gender-based violence and femicide will make our townships secure and bring the true enjoyment of freedom.”

For too long people in townships had been terrorised by criminals. “This is always quite prevalent when ever amaginsa [carjackers] are being buried. When the public go to funerals, they are no longer able to give their loved ones a dignified send-off as they sometimes have to run for cover.

“The issue of drug addicts, often called paras, should also be discussed at length during the conference.”

Despite still being implicated in the Digital Vibes saga, Mkhize said good governance bred trust in the community and endemic corruption in the country should be curbed — a move he said would alleviate service delivery protests.

“We also have to appeal that while expressing dissatisfaction, communities should not destroy the infrastructure that they have all required. This is self-defeating.”

Mkhize also expressed his wish for a bank that would be sympathetic to people seeking to borrow money to create business. “We should move away from this narrative which suggests that people who do not start businesses are foolish. For a long time banks have compelled people to have collateral.”

The Moses Mabhida region is the ANC's second biggest in the province, encompassing the midlands. Its deputy regional secretary, Mxolisi Mkhize, said the branches had overwhelmingly nominated the former health minister for the ANC’s top job.

“The branches have done this having fully understood the immense contributions that Mkhize has made.” he said.

Mxolisi said Mkhize had never leapfrogged any positions in the party. “He is a selfless leader who has sacrifice and demonstrated that not everything was about himself,” he said.

Mkhize had also faced humiliation when he was removed from the membership roll of his Willowfountain branch. “This did not discourage him. He stood tall to prove that he is the leader. This is also the reason the branches have decided to nominate him without being bribed and coerced by anyone.”

This is war: Bathabile Dlamini

ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president Bathabile Dlamini said they had thrown their weight behind Mkhize. She said in the build-up to the conference, they were facing a war which pitted imperialism against the revolutionaries — and warned that if the latter were to be defeated, this would see further oppression by “white minorities”.

“This is about our future, it is about our children. It’s about our land and minerals. As we are all here, all the money that exchanges hands during elective conferences was not as important than our land [sic]. The white minorities (Boers) want to tell us whom should lead us,” said Dlamini.

In a veiled swipe at ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, Dlamini told said Mkhize's mandate to lead the people of the country should come from ANC structures and not the white minority.

“You should implement the programme of action of the ANC. Do not divide the party. You know that there would also been disagreements in the party. As women would always be raising our view, you should never disband us for raising our stance,” she said.

Dlamini said if Mkhize were to disband the ANCWL, he would be disbanding the party's best mobilisation machinery. “We would be relentless in being unequivocal in raising matters pertaining women, but that would not mean we do not want you,” she said.

Dlamini said the ANC found itself in this state because of the people who had emerged at the last elective conference in 2017.

“You can be at pains to raise issues but these people don’t care and they always find a way of doing what they want.”

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