ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile says the party officials will meet on Thursday evening to clear up the differences between National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe and Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula. Mantashe publicly differed from Mbalula, after the Secretary-General had re-opened a can of worms on how the ANC dealt with former President Jacob Zuma’s security upgrades at his Nkandla homestead and the fire pool issue.
The National Chairperson accused Mbalula of getting excited by the cameras and saying the wrong things in public.
“Leaders must not fight in the papers, seeing them differ in public is not how you lead. We need unity from the bottom of the branches right up till the top leadership,” says Paul Mashatile, ANC Deputy President.
Mashatile cautioned them that speaking out against each other in public sent the wrong message about the unity of the organisation.
Mbalula will now have to face the party’s other officials and explain himself on the public spat and also speaking recklessly in public.
“We are meeting tomorrow evening because I think it’s important as leaders to sit down and reflect. Sometimes when you work on the ground, there are emotions and a lot of … and we will sit down tomorrow to agree that let us focus,” Mashatile added.
Mashatile also took a swipe at former President Jacob Zuma and those leaving the ANC, questioning whether they were ever really loyal to the party.
The ANC Deputy President says the party must move away from supporting those who are not what they seem and end up being a problem.
“You know in the ANC, we are sometimes so gullible to support wrong people. We support them, these wrong people – counter revolutionaries – and they end up being a problem. These are counter revolutionaries who come with sheep skin and they are wolves. We will flush them out. Some are leaving on their own and good riddance. They must go and sometimes, I even doubt whether they were ANC. I doubt. I doubt, but we won’t focus our energy on these people,” Mashatile elaborates.
ANC Women’s League President Sisi Tolashe says Zuma and his ‘fake’ MK soldiers must be ignored.
“Those who are leaving, it is painful to see them leave, but they must go well. And comrades, you must not waste time speaking about them. We have a job to do and make sure ANC remains in power and leave side shows. They can come and dance here, maybe they want attention or they have dementia. He is confused,” says Tolashe.
The ANC says its focus is on the party’s rally this weekend and not some side show of people who are “confused”.
Video: Mashatile engages communities in Mpumalanga ahead of January 8th Statement
