MOELETSI MBEKI'S CRITICISM OF PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA, DISRESPECTFUL AND DISINGENEOUS - ANC

The African National Congress (ANC) strongly condemns as disrespectful and disingenuous, the latest barrage of unfair criticism of President Jacob Zuma and the ANC-led Government by Moeletsi Mbeki.

With his political roots having been nurtured in the ANC, Moeletsi has chosen - not only to betray noble principles and beliefs held by his late struggle icon father Govan Mbeki - but has decided to embark on a role of being the voice of the opposition, instead of making a meaningful contribution within structures of the ANC and Government in a quest to build a better country for all South Africans.

We find Moletsi's latest outburst, charging that "the ANC is not future for South Africa" and that the President was merely about "song and dance" - disingenuous and misinformed in the extreme, displaying characteristics of desperation to rubbish the ANC, its President and Government (see IOL report). The question we pose to Moeletsi is whether he regards the majority of South African voters who gave the ANC a handsome 64% majority vote and mandate in the 2011 local Government elections, as fools?

To logical and patriotic South Africans, the 64% ANC victory in the recent local government elections which translates into the ANC governing 71% of all councils in South Africa, was yet another strong indication - even to such a doubting Thomas like Moeletsi - that the ANC remains the future of South Africa and is on the right course in redressing decades of the country's socio-economic imbalances. It is the people's confidence in the ANC leadership under President Zuma that has - once again - led South Africans to give us a strong mandate to the ANC to continue governing this country. 

Since being voted into power, the ANC-led Government has clearly demonstrated to all South Africans its commitment to put the interests of South Africans first. Fuelled by his passionate hatred of Comrade Zuma, Moeletsi has conveniently forgotten that President Zuma, since taking office, has come with serious innovations in Government meant to improve the better lot of all South Africans.

Firstly, he has introduced a Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities to ensure a focused approach in dealing with the most vulnerable sections within our society. The President has also introduced a Ministry of Economic Development that is focussing its energy on growing the economy and dealing decisively with the twins of unemployment and poverty in our country. We are proud that today we can speak of a New Growth Path to do justice to economic growth and job creation.

Moeletsi's suffering from selective amnesia has also made him forget that President Zuma has also introduced a Ministry to focus on Rural Development and thus deal with all the problems and underdevelopment in our rural areas. The introduction by President Zuma's administration of a National Planning Commission, which will put before South Africa an overarching developmental vision over a 30-year period and plans to take such a vision forward.

It is very unfortunate that Moeletsi Mbeki, in his haste to score cheap political points in attacking President Zuma, conveniently forgot all these important innovations that President Zuma has put, building on what his predecessors have done, to make the lives of all South Africans better.

We lastly, would also want to remind Moeletsi and all others who think like him that since the dawn of a democratic South Africa in 1994, the only President of a Republic of South Africa who was "bold enough" to reshuffle his Cabinet and replace a significant number of ministers, was non other than President Jacob Zuma.

Whilst we are not averse to any criticism - both as the ANC, its leaders and its Government - by anybody, including Moeletsi Mbeki, our only gripe is when such criticism is not factual and is driven by long-seated hatred for the ANC and its leadership rather than being driven by a desire to assist the ANC, its leadership and its Government to do better in delivering services to the people of South Africa. Is this a display of intellectual dishonesty on the part of Moeletsi Mbeki?

Statement issued by Jackson Mthembu, ANC national spokesperson, July 27 2011

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter