The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) notes the decision of our ally, the African National Congress (ANC) to expel its former President, Jacob Zuma, following a disciplinary hearing last week.
The ANC National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) recommended termination of Zuma's membership after he was found guilty of breaching the party's constitution for backing the MK Party and subsequently becoming its leader. Zuma was suspended in January and did not bother to attend his disciplinary hearing despite insisting he will remain a member of the ANC for life.
He was found guilty of contravening the constitution of the ANC by "acting on behalf of or in collaboration with the political organisation or party other than an organisation or party in alliance with the ANC in a manner contrary to the aims, policies and objectives of the ANC". The former President has 21 days to appeal the decision to terminate his 64-year membership.
Whilst no political party would celebrate expelling a member, let alone a former President, Mr. Zuma, left the ANC with no choice. No self-respecting political party would accept a member, let alone a former leader, remaining within its ranks, whilst leading another political party. In such an instance, Zuma had chosen to expel himself.
Zuma was elected as President of the ANC and the nation, with the support of COSATU and millions of ordinary South Africans, with high hopes that his leadership would mark a radical shift in government policies and resources towards uplifting the poor and capacitating the state to roll out public services and investments across the economy. Tragically the nation was bitterly let down by his 9 years in office that were confirmed by the Zondo Commission, as a decade of state capture, industrial scale corruption and the implosion of critical State-Owned Enterprises. His leadership of the ANC was characterised by painful divisions and haemorrhaging. The current leadership led by President Cyril Ramaphosa has had to go to extra-ordinary lengths to repair the devastating damage unleashed during the Zuma era.
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We are hopeful that this marks the end of an era of ignominy, shame and betrayal. We applaud the ANC for being principled and resolute in its efforts to cleanse itself of the perpetrators of the decade of state capture and to intensify its renewal campaign.
COSATU commends the ANC for finalising this issue and hopes our ally can finally put it behind and swiftly move on to the weighty task of leading the government of national unity and ensuring a better life for all South Africans. It is now more critical than ever for the ANC to focus on rebuilding embattled municipalities and SOEs, removing obstacles to growing the economy and reducing unemployment, tackling crime and corruption and the urgent implementation of the ANC's election manifesto. Whilst politics is entertaining, society wants to see government on the ground improving the lives of workers and working-class communities.
The Federation will remain a reliable ally of the ANC and the South African Communist Party as we collectively tackle these daunting challenges.
