Motlanthe is being hypocritical - ANCYL leader

Johannesburg - The ANC Youth League has hit out at former deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe's comments that President Jacob Zuma should explain why he fired Nhlanhla Nene as finance minister.

"President Zuma and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ANC have clarified to the nation about what happened," ANCYL President Collen Maine told News24.

"So we don't expect Mr Motlanthe to still be looking for an explanation, after we have given that explanation."

Maine was commenting on Motlanthe's recent interview with Al Jazeera, where he urged Zuma to come clean to the country and explain the reasons why he decided to axe Nene.

Speaking to the broadcaster's Azad Essa, Motlanthe said: "All of this has happened so quickly, it leaves you completely stunned as to what to make of it.

"The reaction from all quarters is indicative of how dramatic all of this was. This is why I am saying it leaves people stunned. It's important to get what the rationale was all about."

Motlanthe said until Zuma and his government explained the rationale behind his actions, it would be hard to interpret his actions.

On Thursday, Maine said Motlanthe's comments were hypocritical.

"When he himself, at some point was a president, he made some changes. There were no demands for him to explain himself."

He described the former ANC deputy president as "bored" and lacking a platform to speak.

"He should not seek populism at the expense of the nation," Maine said.

"We know that he does not have platforms to speak, to address [people] because he's not a leader anymore. So the gentleman at times is bored, and when he's bored he wants to then... take the country backwards.

"We are moving forward, the markets are responding positively, so Zuma does not owe him and his friends any explanation. The president can't over explain himself."

Maine also downplayed Motlanthe's scathing critique of the tripartite alliance in the Business Day in November.

Motlanthe was quoted as saying: "My reading is that there is no alliance, there is one organisation existing inside the integuments of erstwhile independent organisations." Maine rejected this, saying the alliance was still intact.

"The alliance is still intact, we still have a tripartite. The only thing is that Mr Motlanthe is no longer a leader. When he was a leader he did not have the same views, now that he is not leading, he [says] all these things."

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.