ANC slams Gupta media for ‘sowing division’ in the party
ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa has rejected reports from Gupta-owned media group, ANN7, claiming that deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe and the party’s treasurer general, Zweli Mkhize set president Jacob Zuma up to fail at the Worker Day rally that booed him off the stage.
According to the ANN7 report, the three party leaders apparently “pushed” Zuma to attend the May Day Rally organized by Cosatu in the Free State on the 1st May 2017, knowing full well that he was not wanted there, and would likely suffer a humiliating set-back.
However, the ANC has hit back at the report, calling it devoid of truth, divisive and designed to create an illusion of some “ANC insider” status for the channel.
Kodwa said that the ANC, collectively, deployed the president to the rally because the leadership felt it necessary and correct that invitations as received from Cosatu were honored, and the ANC message calling for unity of the Alliance be delivered.
He said the party expected that there would likely be some heckling from the crowds, but felt it necessary to attend, and would not be distracted from putting forward its message of unity.
“ANN7 seems determined to manufacture false consensus, sharpening contradictions and deepening fissures in the ANC,” Kodwa said.
“The station effectively acts as a mouthpiece of the factional divisions that plague the African National Congress, consistently showing itself as being intent on driving wedges within the organization and pitting comrade against comrade.”
Kodwa condemned the crowds of people who booed and heckled the president at the rally, saying that he was embarrassed at the growing trend of using alliance gatherings to voice concerns and disapproval.
He said that similar tactics were used against Mkhize and former finance minister Pravin Gordhan recently, where the ANC Youth League booed and heckled the duo as the delivered speeches at a memorial for late ANC stalwart, Ahmed Kathrada.
The Youth League refused to apologise, Kodwa noted.
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