Publication: The Mercury Issued: Date: 2005-11-21 Reporter: Moshoeshoe Monare Reporter: Thokozani Mtshali Reporter:

Turning Point for Support

 

Publication 

The Mercury
Date 2005-11-21

Reporter

 Moshoeshoe Monare,
Thokozani Mtshali

Web Link

www.themercury.co.za

 

Dissent over Zuma gets louder

Organisations sympathetic to embattled ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma have reached a critical turning point, with once-muted dissenters now shouting loudly in an attempt to neutralise what has so far been described as his mass support.

The strong opinion of those in the South African Communist Party, its youth wing, the Young Communist League, Cosatu and some key allies in the ANC have been tilted by the deepening rape allegations against Zuma.

The Zuma affair was the subject of key discussions yesterday at one of the longest meetings of the ANC's national executive committee, stretching for three days and going through the night. Committee members who managed to answer brief calls described the meeting as "tense, but frank".

The SACP's extended central committee this coming weekend is also expected to be tense, with deafening dissenting views. Jeremy Cronin, the SACP's Deputy General Secretary, has already questioned Zuma's political integrity in the left. He differed sharply with his boss, General Secretary Blade Nzimande, during the alliance meeting to discuss Zuma last spring.

On the other hand, the Young Communist League is considering taking disciplinary actions against its national Deputy Secretary, Mazibuko Jara, who described Zuma's support in an internal discussion document as "reckless".

Cosatu's central executive committee is also expected to be preoccupied with the Zuma rape allegation when it begins its meeting today, an issue likely to dilute his divided support in the party leadership. Meanwhile, opposition political parties want the police to break their silence about the rape allegation. The DA repeated that the continued silence by the police was neither fair to Zuma nor to the complainant.

Political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi added that the ANC needed to deal decisively with the rape saga and pronounce its position on the matter. Matshiqi believes an unequivocal statement by the ANC, as was the case by the ANC women's league last week, is necessary, especially in the light of the government's 16 Days of Activism campaign against abuse of women and children.

Most political parties, including the PAC, Freedom Front, ID and Azapo, agree that the law should take its course should the rape claims be confirmed, but warned against passing judgment against Zuma before he was even charged.

With acknowledgements to Moshoeshoe Monare, Thokozani Mtshali and Cape Times.