Lekota mocks Zuma

2008-10-14 08:19

Norman Silke

Port Elizabeth - Just hours after being suspended from the ANC on Monday, a defiant Mosiuoa Lekota championed for a new structure.

"(We cannot) leave it to the ANC's national executive committee (NEC) and people like Julius Malema (ANCYL leader)," said Lekota, former minister of defence and former ANC chairperson, at the Nangoza Jebe hall in New Brighton, PE - confirming the possibility of a breakaway party.

Lekota and Mluleki George, former deputy minister of defence and ANC chairperson of the Amathole region, responded in their speeches to Monday evening's news that their ANC membership had been suspended.

Both said they would only believe it once they had received a letter from the ANC in that regard.

"The ANC's constitution clearly states that no member may be disciplined unless he has had the opportunity to defend himself at a disciplinary hearing," Lekota said.

He said the party had deviated from the Freedom Charter and the country's Constitution.

Lekota also mocked Jacob Zuma, president of the ANC, by imitating the way he danced and asking why he needed the machine gun mentioned in his song "umshini wami".

"We live in a democracy, so who does he want to shoot?"

Lekota appealed to the crowd to return to their communities and to get mandates for the planned national convention.

He said the time and place where a national convention would be held would probably be announced within the next four weeks as "a committee is already working on it".

"A name, emblem and colours for a new party are being discussed."

- Die Burger