President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ANC has noted former president Jacob Zuma’s announcement that he will not be voting nor campaigning for the party during next year’s elections.
The former president said his focus will now be devoted to the newly established uMkhonto weSizwe party, which he would be also campaigning for, despite remaining a member of the ANC.
Zuma, who made the announcement on Saturday in Orlando East, Soweto, said his move is part of his “attempt to rescue the ANC from white capital” among others.
Despite the ANC previously announcing that it would not comment on the matter, Ramaphosa broke the party’s silence during a media briefing in Luthuli House, Johannesburg.
“We all listened to that announcement, and we have noted what he has said and what he has announced and that is as far as we are prepared to go at this point in this.
“Everyone in our country is free to express themselves in relation to who they will vote for and why they will vote for them, and we have noted what our former president Jacob Zuma has announced,” said Ramaphosa.
The ANC at the weekend released a statement, indicating that it’ll take legal action against the new party, arguing that it was using the name of its former armed wing, uMkhonto weSizwe, which was disbanded in the 90’s.
Meanwhile, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has condemned Zuma’s actions, accusing him of being grossly ill-disciplined.
The party together with all its aligned formations held a media briefing in Durban, to react to Zuma’s weekend announcement.
“Jacob Zuma announced through a press briefing, without utilizing internal processes, that he will vote for a new party called Umkhonto Wesizwe.
“By doing so, he de-campaigned the ANC and effectively mobilised for a new political party established with his blessings and knowledge,” read a statement from the party after the briefing.
They also described the new party as fake and disguised to lure voters and loyal ANC members.
The statement added that they viewed Zuma’s action as literally divorcing the ANC.
