MKMVA media statement about the resignation of Combrade Jacob Zuma as President of the Republic of South Africa  

15 February 2018

The Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) is a loyal Association of the African National Congress, which accepts the political leadership and discipline of our Mother Body. As such we speak in one voice with the ANC, and the soldiers of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) are always ready to defend and protect the African National Congress and the leadership of the ANC, who are also our leaders.

At momentous and difficult occasions such as the resignation as President of the Republic of our fellow longstanding comrade and MK Commander – Comrade Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma – it is of critical importance that MKMVA speaks with one voice in unison with the African National Congress. It is with this foremost in our minds that MKMVA welcomes the media statement that was issued by the African National Congress after President Jacob Zuma formally announced his resignation. In acknowledgement of our support for both the tone and content of the ANC statement we attach our MKMVA statement – as a supporting statement/ document - thereto. We salute our ANC leadership for the political maturity and dignity of the statement, and especially for the political leadership that it provides at a critical time in the history of the ANC and of our country.

Similarly MKMVA welcomes both the tone and content of the statement that comrade Jacob Zuma made on the occasion of his resignation as President of the Republic of South Africa. In particular we acknowledge as fellow soldiers our MK Commander’s disciplined loyalty to the African National Congress. As Comrade Zuma declared upfront: “I am forever indebted to the ANC, the liberation movement that I have served almost all my life. I respect each member and leader of this glorious movement.”

MKMVA also welcomes Comrade Zuma’s disciplined commitment to the prescripts of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, with the regards to both the election and departure of the President of the Republic. It is apt to also quote comrade Zuma on this matter: “I serve[d] in my capacity as President of the Republic of South Africa within the prism of our much acclaimed Constitution, whose foundational values I fully subscribe to… I fully understand that that while I serve at the pleasure of my party, the ANC, the door through which I officially came to serve the people of South Africa is the National Assembly, without which no political party can impose its candidate on the electorate, no matter how popular.” In having insisted that his eventual recall by the ANC, and subsequent resignation, must comply with Section 86 of the Constitution, and the loyalty that he pledged when he was elected as President to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, comrade Zuma has provided all of us in the ANC and the country with great political guidance. It is a gift that he bestows on us and future generations, which we must accept with reverence and ensure that we comply to it without exception.

We should indeed never allow whatever political battles we engage in to supersede the interests of our people. The reason d’etré of the ANC is to create a better life for all South Africans, with specific reference to black people (especially Africans). We should never ever forget that, and as comrade Zuma admonished us we should not play into the hands of our oppressors of yesteryear. To our minds this is especially true and applicable with regards to the continued grip of White Monopoly Capital (WMC) on our economy and their continued exploitation of our people. All of us as members of the ANC should therefore never allow ourselves to become divided and consequently weaken our ability to implement in full the resolutions for Radical Economic Transformation (RET) that were adopted by our 52nd National Conference at NASREC in December last year.

In stating this we are emboldened and encouraged by the example of the life of Comrade Jacob Zuma who at a very young age joined the ANC and dedicated his youth and whole adult life to the liberation struggle. In this regard it is apt to refer to the included African National Congress media statement which describes the singular dedication with which Comrade Zuma worked for the liberation of our people, and the many sacrifices that he made – among those we must never forget that he served a 10 year sentence on Robben Island as a political prisoner for his membership of the African National Congress and specifically for his excellent work as a Commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe in setting up underground structures of MK, and very successfully intensifying the armed struggle against the apartheid regime. Comrade Zuma’s indomitable spirit was not deterred by prison and he proceeded even more successfully with his tasks as an MK Commander immediately after he was released from prison. We will not forget that there were few Commanders of MK who were more successful than Comrade Jacob Zuma, and that he was hugely feared by the Boers. As the ANC statement correctly points out Comrade Zuma is the last of our line of Presidents to have worked closely with the longest serving President of the ANC, Comrade Oliver Tambo, and he was one of Comrade OR’s most trusted advisors and comrades.

Nor should we ever forget that Comrade Zuma played a critical role as a peace maker. His pivotal role in the peaceful negotiations of our transition from apartheid to democracy may never be forgotten. Especially not the critical role that he played in bringing peace and political stability to KwaZulu-Natal. The changed fortunes of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal from moving out of opposition to become a strong provincial government and indeed the province with the largest ANC membership in the country, are largely due to his peace negotiations and political acumen. Similarly the pivotal role that Comrade Zuma played as President Mandela’s Special Envoy during the peace negotiations in Rwanda and Burundi should not be forgotten. Comrade Zuma has indeed proved himself to be a cadre who when left with no other option is a remarkable warrior, but like all great liberation soldiers he understands that the ultimate objective is peace and prosperity for our people here in South Africa, on the African continent and throughout the world.

It was no doubt that understanding that drove comrade Zuma to ensure that internationally South Africa became a major player, with BRICS as critically important for the advancement of South Africa as part of the community of developing nations.

The African National Congress statement adequately describes how Comrade Zuma in our democratic dispensation rose through the ranks of the ANC to eventually become the President of the ANC and the President of the Republic. While acknowledging that errors and mistakes were made, the ANC quiet correctly points out that President Zuma leaves a legacy of delivery in critical areas. While we refer readers to that part of the ANC statement, we will be amiss not to highlight the mass roll-out of an anti-retroviral programme, which is the largest in the world. Nor can we refrain from referring to the massive infrastructure investment programme implemented during his tenure, which helped to sustain growth during a period of international economic downturn. It was also under President Zuma’s stewardship that our country recorded significant successes in education, which included the expansion of access to basic and higher education for the poorest of the poor. We believe that one of the most significant steps that Comrade Zuma took as President was his announcement of fee free higher education for the poor and the working class. This was a bold and courageous step which will no doubt remain as one of the best parts of his substantial legacy.

Overall we acknowledge Comrade Zuma as the quintessential People’s President, who never allowed himself to be entangled by trappings and privileges of High Office. He never allowed himself to drift apart from the people, and remained with his feet firmly on the ground. We also understand that his strong overall stance against White Monopoly Capitalism (WMC), and for Radical Economic Transformation (RET), made him the prime target of the vicious propaganda of the mainstream media who are ultimately owned and controlled by the White Monopoly Capitalists. They conducted nothing less than a vicious and bitter personal vendetta against Comrade Zuma. When Comrade Zuma was President of the ANC and President of the Republic MKMVA defended him against these vicious attacks. Now that he has resigned we will still continue to defend him as a highly respected MK Veteran and member of the ANC against these media kangaroo courts.

As MKMVA we remain dedicated to the full implementation of Radical Economic Transformation (RET) – we are emboldened in our dedication by the clear Resolutions of our 52nd National Conference, and we will honour the legacy of Comrade Zuma in that regard. We will also fully support the newly elected leadership of the ANC and President Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, once he is now also elected as President of the Republic, in every effort to implement Radical Economic Transformation.

With the Resolutions that the ANC passed at our 52nd National Conference we made a firm commitment to our long suffering people, it is now our sacred duty to turn that commitment into reality without any holding back. In this regard we thank Comrade Zuma for his commitment in the last paragraph of his Statement of Resignation that he will continue to serve the people of South Africa as well as the ANC. Comrade Zuma’s concluding words are: “I will dedicate all of my energy to work towards the attainment of the policies of our organisation, in particular the Radical Economic Transformation agenda”, is indeed revolutionary music to our ears!

MKMVA wants to warn against any form of triumphalism within the ANC, or in general in our country, concerning the resignation of Comrade Zuma. As loyal members of the ANC we will vigorously defend Comrade Zuma against vindictive attacks and humiliation similarly as we would do for any member of the ANC. As MKMVA we want to reiterate that Comrade Zuma is one of our very own, and we honour and respect him as one of our finest Commanders.

We warmly welcome the confirmation in the ANC statement that Comrade Zuma’s decision to resign is consistent with what he always said, that he has never and will never defy his organisation, the African National Congress. We also welcome the acknowledgement by the Deputy Secretary General of the ANC, Comrade Jessie Duarte, during the question time when the ANC media statement was issued, that for Comrade Zuma to have expressed his disagreement with the NEC decision of immediate recall was not defiance, and that he indeed deserves to be taken into the confidence of the NEC about the reasons for his recall.

MKMVA concurs with Comrade Jessie Duarte that in providing such reasons the NEC should be sensitive to the privacy, rights and dignity of Comrade Zuma and do so in a manner that is cognisant of the vindictive and personal mainstream WMC media campaign that is still continuing unabated against him. The NEC has a duty towards a loyal ANC comrade in good standing not to do anything that will add grist to their vicious propaganda mill.

MKMVA unequivocally supports the clarion call by Comrade Zuma that no life should be lost in his name, and that the ANC should never be divided in his name. We salute a true son of the soil of South Africa, a loyal and disciplined member of the ANC and an outstanding Commander of the People’s Liberation Army, Umkhonto we Sizwe!

In conclusion we fully support the call in the ANC media statement that all the deployed members of the ANC in parliament must cast their vote for the ANC President, Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, as the candidate of the ANC will nominate for President, when parliament convenes to select the President of the Republic. We thus await to salute our new Commander in Chief.

VIVA MSHOLOZI – THANK YOU NXAMALALA!

FORWARD TO THE PRESIDENCY OF COMRADE CYRIL RAMAPHOSA

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

ALUTA CONTINUA!

Issued by Carl Niehaus, National Spokesperson, MKMVA, 15 February 2018