POLL | Is Zuma wrong for using ANC veterans to campaign if he has 'left' the party?

18 January 2024 - 12:47 By Rethabile Radebe
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The former president wanted to visit the grave sites of ANC stalwarts Collins Chabane and Peter 'Dambuza' Malada in Xikundu village and Venda, Limpopo. File image
The former president wanted to visit the grave sites of ANC stalwarts Collins Chabane and Peter 'Dambuza' Malada in Xikundu village and Venda, Limpopo. File image
Image: Lulama Zenzile

Election season in South Africa is characterised by politicians going out of their way to garner support from people across the country and trying to convince those sceptical about casting their vote to go to the polls.

Campaign season is under way, with this year's vote predicted to be one of the most closely contested since 1994, as many are desperate for change.

Many citizens have expressed their eagerness to give power to a party that will prioritise quality services for all citizens, improving the economy, reducing or completely ending load-shedding and addressing unemployment.

Former president Jacob Zuma, with his newly formed MK party, has opted to use socioeconomic issues to convince people to endorse his party. 

Though he said he would “die ANC”, he also said he won't campaign or vote for the party while it is headed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Zuma is one of the most popular South African politicians with much of his support coming from his home province KwaZulu-Natal.

Now he is moving to other provinces to try to raise support for his party.

MK party posters were circulated on Wednesday, saying the former president would visit the grave sites of ANC veterans former minister Collins Chabane and Peter “Dambuza” Malada in Xikundu village and Venda, Limpopo.

But Zuma has been slammed by the families and foundations of the two stalwarts who have pledged their allegiance to the governing party.

In a scathing response to Zuma, the Collins Chabane Foundation accused him of “scouring graves, awakening resting souls, looking for votes and resuscitating broken careers”.

“It was Moses Mabhida, then Dambuza and now it's Collins Chabane. When will it end? The foundation would like to make it clear that Chabane’s family, the Mhinga royal house, and the foundation have not given the purported organisation permission to visit the family graveyard where the late Chabane has been laid to rest.”

Malada's family said they noted the announcement “with concern”.

“While we acknowledge the challenges our country faces, we emphasise Peter Dambuza was a committed member of the ANC and its military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe and its ideals.

“The Dambuza Foundation and the Malada family remain loyal to the ANC and we refuse that the name and legacy of commander Dambuza be abused to divide our beloved movement, the ANC.”

The MK party is not the first to be chastised for using veterans affiliated with the ANC.

The DA found itself in hot water during the election campaign in 2019 when the party used the image of former president Nelson Mandela on an election billboard.

The words “Honour Mandela's vision to build one South Africa for all” were written on the billboard, which was unveiled by then-party leader Mmusi Maimane. The billboard was displayed outside a building on Pritchard Street in the Johannesburg city centre.

The head of the Mandela royal house, Mandla Mandela, told the opposition party to stop “pretending to be the upholders of Mandela's legacy”.

TimesLIVE


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