'He is no messiah': Mbalula slams Zuma for misleading the world
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is accusing former president Jacob Zuma of abusing the South African flag and misleading the international community.
This comes after the country's flag was used in a bilateral meeting between Zuma and the government of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Zuma participated in this meeting as the leader of the African National Congress (ANC), not the MK party.
However, the South African government is incensed by this and is demanding an explanation from the government of Morocco.
Mbalula not surprised by Zuma's opposition to ANC's foreign policy
Mbalula spoke to the media in Cape Town on Sunday. He described Zuma as a sell-out and a trouble-maker.
'Jacob Zuma represents everything that is wrong that is pursued by sell-outs. The ANC will fight alongside the Sahrawi people for their self-determination.
'Morocco must stop the occupation of Western Sahara. Zuma is no messiah. He is a sell-out of note,' he said.
Mbalula said he is not surprised by Zuma's opposition to the ANC's foreign policy of non-alignment.
'This is no surprise to us, the very reason to steal the assets of the ANC to form a political party and call it what it is, and divide our people.
'He weakened the ANC for his own personal aggrandisement, he is what he has been and he will be remembered for that,' he said.
In a statement on Saturday, the ANC said Zuma is betraying the party's historical mission. The party also said his behaviour is shameful.
Mbalula also faced tough questions from reporters about the ANC's reservations regarding taking a strong stance against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
He defended the ANC's posture on the matter.
'Senzo will not step aside in terms of the ANC; he is an elected member. He now has the opportunity to also state his side of the story.
'Now, once we have listened to that and it is evaluated in terms of fact by a competent, independent judge and a panel judicial commission that the president appointed, then he can make a judgment.
'Let us allow the process to follow this, which is what all South Africans are looking forward to, even we are looking forward to it,' he said.
ANC to take decisions about Western Cape structures
On the other hand, Mbalula said the ANC National Working Committee is in the Western Cape this weekend to meet structures and find ways to strengthen the party.
The ANC lost the Western Cape to the DA in 2009 and has been struggling to regain support in that part of the country.
'There is going to be action on issues that are raised to strengthen the ANC in the Western Cape,' he said.
Mbalula said the ANC's National Working Committee (NWC) will meet on Monday to discuss the interventions that should be made in the Western Cape.
ALSO READ: MK party takes Ramaphosa to ConCourt over Mchunu special leave decision
Liberation movements summit
Mbalula said the ANC will also be hosting the leaders of former liberation movements from around the continent this week.
This includes parties such as Zanu-PF from Zimbabwe and Frente de Libertação de Moçambique (Frelimo).
The leaders of these movements will discuss the challenges they face in their respective countries, as well as other issues affecting the continent and its geopolitics.
NOW READ: DA and ANC pay tribute to Cape Town's first black female mayor
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
19 minutes ago
- IOL News
SAPS Turmoil: Dispelling Trust Deficit In The Judiciary Will Help Restore Confidence
President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to chair the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system. Can the public pin its trust on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that was announced by Ramaphosa?, asks the writer. Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu The date Sunday, July 6, 2025, will go down in the annals of South African history as one of the memorable dates in post-apartheid South Africa. It was on this day when Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, convened a media briefing to inform the nation about the alleged rot in the South African Police Service (SAPS). What was of utmost importance with this media briefing was that Mkhwanazi did not just implicate the top brass within SAPS – including Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, who is the former Head of Hawks in Gauteng. He also implicated the metro police officials, traffic officers and most importantly, prosecutors. As the saying goes, Mkhwanazi ventured even where angels fear to tread. While these allegations are yet to be tested, Mkhwanazi's tone and the evidence he shared with the public make his allegations plausible. Indeed, President Cyril Ramaphosa was abroad when this media briefing happened. But, as would be expected, he was briefed while in South America. By the time he returned to the country, the nation expected him to call his media briefing or to arrange a 'family meeting' so that he could address the nation about an issue he conceded was serious and thus needed urgent attention. Ironically, it was only on July 13, 2025 – exactly a week later that Ramaphosa addressed the nation on this matter. Views differ about the justification of this delay. Some say that the president needed to consult and get all the details before he could speak – which is understandable. Others blame him for delaying unnecessarily while the nation waited impatiently. The latter group assert that Ramaphosa used the 'consultation time' for ill intentions, meant to let people's emotions die down. Whatever the correct explanation might be, it would be difficult to find the president guilty of breaking any law. It was still within his right to apply his mind before taking any action. But being legally or constitutionally correct does not equate being rational. In other words, constitutionality and rationality do not always work together. What is even more interesting is not the delay by the president. Instead, it is what he said when he eventually addressed the nation on July 13. Two things stood out from Ramaphosa's address. The first one was his announcement that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was being placed on Special leave. This did not come as a surprise since many of us had already justifiably made such a proposal. Mchunu could even have saved his president time by voluntarily stepping aside pending any investigation. Anyway, that is now water under the bridge. The second important announcement by Ramaphosa was that he was appointing a Judicial Commission of Inquiry that will investigate the allegations made by Mkhwanazi. This is what raised eyebrows and triggered several questions. The first question became: Does South Africa need yet another Commission of Inquiry? If so, what purpose will it serve, especially given that there are still many questions about the now defunct Zondo Commission? Does South Africa's current financial position warrant the appointment of more Commissions whose recommendations might not even be implemented? While the many questions posed above are relevant, the most critical one became: can the public pin its trust on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that was announced by Ramaphosa? For example, was Acting Deputy Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who will chair the Inquiry, not part of the Phala Phala inquiry? If so, what does that say about public trust, especially given the many questions which still exist regarding the reports that were produced about this incident? Importantly, since Mkhwanazi implicated the judiciary in his allegation, can the judiciary be honest enough to investigate itself or should the President have looked at other options in his bid to verify and authenticate Mkhwanazi's allegations? Should this announced Judicial Commission produce a report which refutes all or most of the claims made by Mkhwanazi, what will the public say? Will the current trust deficit between the public and state institutions be redeemed? If not, where is our country going? Ramaphosa acted in his capacity as the President of the country. But he is also the president of the ANC. So, if this matter is not handled to the satisfaction of many South Africans, what impact will that have on the ANC as an organisation – both in the 2026 Local Government Election (LGE) and the subsequent 2029 general election? Another critical issue is the role of the coalition partners in parliament. Will they be bold enough and honest to put on the parliamentary agenda a debate on this issue, or will they keep quiet and continue enjoying their positions in the coalition even at the expense of the South African people? What about the opposition political parties? Will they keep quiet under the guise that numbers are against them, or will they use proper parliamentary channels to hold the executive and the governing coalition to account? Sometimes it is better to try and fail than to fail to try. Our politicians must never forget that the electorate will always be watching silently when they act or fail to act when they should. Voters will vent their anger at the polls, then politicians will cry fowl and be 'shocked' as if they did not see this coming. People are entitled to their opinions on whether Mkhwanazi was right or wrong by convening the historic media briefing. But what cannot be repudiated is the fact that his address achieved several objectives – both planned and through serendipity. The nation is better informed now than it was before July 6, 2025. In a nutshell, while it is true that Sec 84(2)(f) of our Constitution gives Ramaphosa the right to appoint Commissions of inquiry, this right should be informed by rationality. As a country, we cannot afford to appoint Commissions randomly against prevailing realities. * Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu is Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy at Nelson Mandela University. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
The South African
19 minutes ago
- The South African
Newspaper headlines from around the world - Tuesday, 22 July 2025
A bundle of newspapers on the table. Image: The South African/CANVA Here are the stories that made headlines on the front pages of newspapers worldwide on Tuesday, 22 July 2025. The Washington Post reported that Harvard argues for free speech. The Jerusalem Post's front page reported that the IDF struck Houthi targets in Hodeidah. China Daily's front page reported that the summit is a key moment for China-EU ties. The Daily Mail's front page reported that Britain is facing societal collapse, warns Farage. The Guardian's front page reported that Israel launched an offensive on a Gaza aid hub amid fears of starvation. If you wish to stay up-to-date – for FREE – on the latest international and South African news, then bookmark The South African website for all that plus the latest in the world of finance, sport, lifestyle – and more. Did we mention it was 100% free to read …?
eNCA
19 minutes ago
- eNCA
DA welcomes Nkabane's dismissal
CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the dismissal of Nobuhle Nkabane as Minister of Higher Education, calling it a crucial first step in restoring public trust in the government. President Cyril Ramaphosa removed Nkabane following allegations that she misled Parliament about the appointment of ANC-linked chairpersons to Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) boards. DA National Spokesperson, Karabo Khakhau, says the focus must now shift to Deputy Minister Buti Manamela who is stepping into the lead role. She says the DA will be watching closely to see how Manamela plans to transform the SETA space and that young people are given real access to skills development, educational opportunities, and improved infrastructure.
