The South African Communist Party (SACP) General-Secretary, Solly Mapaila has lashed out at former uMkhonto Wesizwe members, including former President, Jacob Zuma, calling their endorsement of a new political party under the same name, ill-discipline.
Mapaila addressed alliance members at the commemoration of the death of SACP Chairperson, Joe Slovo at the Avalon Cemetary in Soweto.
Zuma threw his weight behind the MK party after citing grievances with the current African National Congress (ANC) leadership.
The former leader’s rational behind the move is the oath he took as a soldier of the disbanded military wing of the ANC. But leaders within the tripartite alliance have denounced Zuma’s move as attempts to divide the governing party as Mapaila explains.
“To utilise the oath that we took under arms in the name of the African National Congress, we renounce all other previous association and participation in the ANC when you joined uMkhonto Wesizwe. You rejoined the ANC I knew, DSG, you took an oath under MK with the political leadership of the African National Congress. That’s the oath we took. That’s the oath, part of it, was read on December 16th to disparage the African National Congress. It can only be taken seriously in that context by those who did not understand that particular oath or by ill-disciplined lupents.”
LIVE: SACP Joe Slovo Commemorationhttps://t.co/wrF4XaEPiT
— SACP (@SACP1921) January 6, 2024
Meanwhile, Convenor of the uMkhonto Wesizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), Dan Hato has threatened that there will be consequences for Zuma.
However, Zuma is adamant that he remains a member of the ANC.
Whilst party leaders remain mum on the matter, Hato says there is work being done to remove Zuma from the ANC.
“For him to choose December 16th to make his announcement and want to detach uMkhonto Wesizwe from the African National Congress, it is opportunism of the highest order that we’ve never seen. It has never happened anywhere comrades that you become a member of another party and you go and vote for another party and it’s not going to happen on our watch. I can assure you that our forces on the ground are busy working to put the… Aside and move along with those who are prepared to defend this revolution.”
Some of the comrades participating in the SACP 29th Annual Joe Slovo Commemoration at Avalon Cemetery, Soweto, today 6 January 2024. pic.twitter.com/nQLUfyzkG5
— SACP (@SACP1921) January 6, 2024
