The deployment of criminally charged former Sport, Arts and Culture minister Zizi Kodwa to represent the ANC in the National Assembly contradicts that assurance.
The editorial “ANC engineered its colossal fall” of June 3 lamented the party’s renewal project as nothing but rhetoric to mask the failures of the Ramaphosa administration.
Informing that view were the election outcomes, in which for the first time since the dawn of democracy, the ANC failed to secure enough votes to form a government. The election results confirmed that the voters had rejected the ANC renewal project.
How can a party that continues to harbour senior members implicated in serious malfeasance claim to be cleansing itself?
The ink was barely dry on that editorial when, true to form, the ANC was quick to claim the project remained intact.
It said: “Over the last six years, the ANC has been engaged in a process of renewal and revitalisation. This process is not yet complete, and the election results show that we need to intensify and accelerate the fundamental renewal of our movement.
We want to assure the people of South Africa that the ANC will not turn its back on renewal. On the renewal and rebuilding of our movement, we will not compromise.”
However, the deployment of criminally charged former Sport, Arts and Culture minister Zizi Kodwa to represent the ANC in the National Assembly contradicts that assurance.
Kodwa was arrested and appeared in court over allegations that he accepted bribes when he was the ANC spokesperson. If he was not fit to be a minister, what makes him suitable to become an MP?
Of course, being a minister comes with more responsibilities, including overseeing the budget allocated to the department. However, being an MP does not make the charges against him less serious, especially in a country where corruption robs poor citizens of much-needed services. Kodwa remains innocent until proven otherwise.
The ANC is on record as having said that members who have been criminally charged must step aside.
Andile Lili voluntarily did so from the Western Cape Legislature when he was charged until he was acquitted.The Lili and Kodwa case demonstrate why the ANC is its own worst enemy.
Indeed some are more equal than the others in the current ANC. What a betrayal of the anti-apartheid martyrs, who must be turning in their graves!
Cape Times
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