[YCLSA Discussion] Nzimande on 'professional conference campaigners'!

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 22:07:16 -0700


Business Day


Nzimande backs Zuma as Vavi stays on offensive
 
Report on big-spending minister exposes tension in ruling alliance
 
 
Sibongakonke Shoba, Business Day, Johannesburg, 11 April 2011
 
DIVISIONS in the tripartite alliance were laid bare yesterday, with Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) boss Zwelinzima Vavi sharply attacking President Jacob Zuma ’s government, and South African Communist Party (SACP) general secretary Blade Nzimande coming to Mr Zuma’s defence.
 
Mr Vavi and Mr Nzimande yesterday shared the podium at a wreath-laying ceremony at Chris Hani’s grave site in Boksburg.
 
The rifts are linked to leadership tussles in the SACP, Cosatu and the African National Congress (ANC). All are scheduled to elect new leaders next year, with the outcome in the SACP and Cosatu likely to influence the ANC’s.
 
Speculation is rife that Mr Vavi is one of the leaders being lobbied to challenge Mr Nzimande for the SACP post next year. Mr Nzimande’s re-election would be critical for Mr Zuma in guaranteeing the SACP’s support at the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung.
 
Mr Vavi hit out at Mr Zuma’s "tolerance" of corruption. He was reacting to a Sunday Times report that alleged Co-operative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka wasted taxpayers’ money on travel and expensive accommodation. "We stand here today to demand that our president investigate allegations in the newspaper. If the allegations are true, the comrade concerned must not be redeployed, but must be shown the door." He said such allegations "fly all the time" but no steps had been taken . "We have tolerated this enough. No more."
 
Mr Vavi repeated his claim that there was a trend in the ANC of individualism and greed. He called on members to act. "If we don’t act against anybody because they have been a force leading to our election in the past, then this movement is going to be eaten by the dogs in no time."
 
Mr Nzimande accused the "liberal" print media of spearheading an offensive against the alliance and Mr Zuma. In an indirect swipe at Mr Vavi, Mr Nzimande said those who were critical of Mr Zuma were "given headlines".
 
Mr Vavi has been the biggest critic of government ineffectiveness in dealing with corruption. Last week, he warned the ANC to deal with individualism and greed to avoid being rejected by voters . He repeatedly rebuked the SACP for deploying Mr Nzimande to the Cabinet, saying this had weakened the SACP.
 
Mr Nzimande defended the SACP’s silence. "(They say) the party has become useless now because we are no longer attacking or criticising President Zuma. Why should we attack Msholozi? In order to be heroes in the media? We don’t want to be heroes in the media . As the SACP we will raise our points in a principled manner. But we are not an opposition …."
 
Mr Vavi has been accused by Mr Zuma’s defenders of behaving like a leader of the opposition .
 
Mr Nzimande yesterday discouraged "early" succession talk, saying it was started by "professional conference campaigners. There are people who live from one conference to the other .… All they do in between is to prepare for the next conference."
 
However, Mr Vavi dismissed The Sunday Independent’s report yesterday on a covert intelligence report claiming how senior ANC members had met to plot Mr Zuma’s demise next year.
 
Mr Vavi said the leaking of the report showed individuals were abusing state resources to pursue factional interests. "We know some of those things may have some elements of truth. But … our principal goal … is to defend the unity of the ANC."
 
[email protected]
 
 
 

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