We're just following Zuma's orders to protect ANC at all costs - MKMVA

5 September 2016

Johannesburg - Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association head Kebby Maphatsoe says that camouflage-clad members protecting the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters on Monday was a show of force.

This was as a group of protesters readied to occupy the party’s headquarters, prompting the mobilization of the MKMVA members.

Maphatsoe said that the deployment was not a provocation or threat to protesters who had a constitutional right to register their dissatisfaction publicly.

"This is not provocation; in fact this is a good show of force that will show all South Africans that if you want to attack the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe will rise to the occasion," he said.

"There is no need to hire security companies when we have MK veterans here who will protect the property of the ANC.

"We are not fighting here. They said they are going to occupy Luthuli House, and if they want to do that it means they don’t want the ANC to do its work," Maphatsoe said.

He said that the MKMVA was merely following orders given by President Jacob Zuma in 2012.

"In 2012 during our conference in Bisho, President Jacob Zuma gave MKMVA the battle orders, and one of those orders was to protect the black, green and gold [the ANC] at all costs.

"We are implementing those instructions by the president, at all times military veterans will be at the forefront of the defending the ANC and it’s leadership," he said.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.