'God' told woman to join ANC

2004-09-07 21:17

Cape Town - Deputy president Jacob Zuma, praising their "historic decision", on Tuesday welcomed former New National Party councillors who joined the African National Congress during the floor-crossing window.

Zuma was addressing an extraordinary ANC caucus meeting of the City of Cape Town.

About 23 ex-NNP members, in an often-cathartic session interspersed with much laughter, gave him an idea of who they were and why they had joined the ruling party.

Among them were two former Broederbonders, a woman who said she had experienced a vision from God urging her to join the ANC, and at least two others who said their forefathers would be turning in their graves.

"My grandmother had a very strong influence on me. We were national before the National Party was formed.

"This is how we grew up. I was in favour of apartheid," said ex-Broederbonder and deputy mayor of the Cape Winelands District Council, Dirk Oosthuizen.

Wants to join a winning team

He said he had done much soul-searching and praying before deciding to join the ANC "to free myself from the past".

In a lighter moment, James Badenhorst said he grappled with what he called a "difficult decision" and was ragged by friends at a golf course about it.

"I'm fed up with losing, I want to join a winning team," he said to laughter.

Welcoming the NNP councillors who crossed the floor and urging demurring councillors to cast off their doubts and join the ANC, Zuma said the ruling party was richer by having brought in councillors with talent, experience and commitment.

"The decision that the NNP took (to join the ANC) has been one of the most significant happenings in the history of the South African politics," said Zuma in praise of NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk's decision.

This significance was one many political commentators, columnists and journalists had failed to notice.

Tracing the history of apartheid and the position that the two protaganists had occupied, Zuma said even those in the rest of Africa appreciated Van Schalkwyk's "exemplary" decision.

It helped show the way for the rest of the continent to free itself from ethnic conflict.

As he was rich with compliments for the NNP's decision, Zuma was scathing about the official opposition.

He asked what history the Democratic Alliance had and describing them as "professional opposition" who had nothing constructive to say.

One-party state dismissed

The Independent Democratic did not escape his broadside either. Zuma said the party "wouldn't last".

Zuma said the decision for the NNP to fold and join the ANC was "correct".

"There is growing consensus about what needs to be done in this country... and in fact if every South African voted for the ANC 100 percent, it would be a wonderful country," he said.

He dismissed the notion of a one-party state as an "erroneous assertion" and true only of dictatorships and where laws were created to suppress people.

- SAPA