By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The police minister Bheki Cele expressed his displeasure over Jacob Zuma’s decision to distance himself from the African National Congress(ANC).
Zuma has left ANC leaders in a conundrum after expressing his support for the newly registered uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
His decision has been met with fierce criticism by some ANC officials although it remains unclear whether its leadership will reprimand or engage with Zuma.
Cele was speaking during an event of the ANC in the eThekwini Region.
He became political enemies with Zuma after he reshuffled him as a police minister in 2012 when he was still the president.
Cele warned Zuma not to intimidate ANC leaders. “Zuma has been threatening us for years now, he must come out and speak. We are sick and tired of his threats.
If he dares try to speak out, we will also reveal things about him. When we were in exile, JZ was my commander, he was the one who was briefing us about everything.
“It is worrying that the man who has been in the ANC top six all his life is now turning his back against the same ANC that has been carrying him his entire life,” Cele said.
He added,” You can’t be outside and still go around telling us that you are still with us when you are preaching that people must abandon the ANC, it can’t be,” said.
Cele further said that the ANC does not belong to an individual. “This is the organisation of the masses.
The ANC belongs to the millions of its members. No one is above it; he thinks that he is the Samson of the ANC, well he is not.
He continued to say ANC members must not be distracted by Zuma, who wants to go die with them.
“We must refuse and work for our mission which is to improve the lives of people of South Africa. Don’t be diverted, don’t be distracted and keep a narrow focus.”
Meanwhile ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo, KwaZulu-Natal ANC secretary Bheki Mtolo has also ripped into his former political principal, Zuma.
Mtolo told ANC members that Cyril Ramaphosa makes practical decisions that benefit the poor.
“The ANC does not belong to leaders of factions, the chief lobbyists and the founders of slates and factions,” he said.
Since the launch of the uMkhonto Wesizwe party, it has dominated political discussions in radio and television programmes, newspapers and social media. Some of its key proponents have been bandying about big numbers of people who have since joined the launch.
Zuma has addressed some gatherings in community halls in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, where he was well received by supporters. Some of his uMkhonto Wesizwe party comrades have staged convoys in areas such as Umlazi, KwaMashu and Mpumalanga township in Hammarsdale. But the real strength of the party will become clear once it holds rallies and during the elections.