African National Congress (ANC) National Chair Gwede Mantashe has conveyed his disappointment over recent comments made by the party’s Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula.
Mbalula’s statements earlier this week suggested that the ANC protected former President Jacob Zuma during the Nkandla investigation and provided misleading information to Parliament regarding the infamous “fire pool.”
Mantashe, who held the position of Secretary-General at the time of the Nkandla investigation, expressed his disappointment in Mbalula’s remarks, emphasising the need for caution in leadership roles.
“I thought he was carried away by you guys. He saw your cameras and he got taken away and said things he shouldn’t have said. To me, this is what we need to deal with internally. When you lead, you count your words so that you don’t catch fire,” says Mantashe.
“He will learn in the trade, and he was just excited and said things he should not have said. As a leader, you must count your words so that you don’t catch fire. But he will learn,” remarked Mantashe.
Mbalula admits ANC lied to protect Zuma in Nkandla ‘fire pool’ debacle:
Mantashe also drew parallels between former President Zuma’s newly formed uMkhonto we Sizwe Party (MK) and rebel movements on the continent.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ANC Top Seven officials’ visit to the AmaNdebele Royal House in Kwa-Mhlanga, Mpumalanga, Mantashe noted that such behaviour is not uncommon among former African presidents.
“I am talking of possibilities on the continent of Africa that when presidents don’t want to give up power, they turn into a rebel movement. Savimbi came up with a revolutionary movement at the time, and he wanted power. Bozizi in the Central African Republic is leading a rebel movement. Dhlakama is from Frelimo, and he is leading a rebel movement, and it is normal on the continent. But what we must warn against is that it must not be armed,” Mantashe cautioned.
Mantashe says there’s no need to expel Zuma amid Mbalula’s remarks:
