ANC veterans have come out in support of talks between deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa and his presidential rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-
Zuma.
Speaking on behalf of party veterans, Mpho Mosimane said unity talks ahead of the December elective conference were welcomed and encouraged.
“The unity of the ANC is critical. If comrades are talking to each other, we welcome that,” he said.
The news that the two camps were talking was first revealed by Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini at an OR Tambo Cadres Forum meeting in Limpopo over the weekend.
A member of the Ramaphosa campaign from the Free State confirmed the news. However, he said the talks were not likely to make much difference as the Dlamini-Zuma campaign represented an ANC that South Africans no longer had faith in.
“The talks started about three weeks ago but nothing will come of them. It’s like mixing oil and water.
“How is the Ramaphosa campaign going to explain teaming up with people who represent state capture and looting?”
Mosimane said the veterans’ role was to guide branches and delegates on the quality of the leadership they would elect in December.
“This culture of pronouncing on leadership is not correct. At the moment there are only talks about slates and not types of leadership, so if we pronounce we would be choosing one slate over the other,” he said.
He said the challenge with slates was that good leaders were spread across slates, which made it difficult to have leaders in the right positions.
Mosimane said the veterans were pushing for a consultative conference ahead of the elective conference in December.
