Holomisa: ANC infighting derails delivery

2012-04-04 12:52

Johannesburg - Infighting within the ANC has derailed service delivery in favour of the struggle for power, United Democratic Movement president Bantu Holomisa said on Wednesday.

"The attention of the electorate is constantly diverted away from assessing the real performance of government to discussing the ruling party's endless succession debate," Holomisa said in a statement.

"While this happens, the looting of state resources unabatedly continues."

He said the same thing happened in the run up to the ANC's conference in Polokwane in 2007.

"Service delivery was handicapped by the ruling party's infighting.

"The [former president Thabo] Mbeki vs [President Jacob] Zuma saga played itself out in ways that incessantly whittled away the foundations of our democratic dispensation," said Holomisa.

Infighting in the ruling party had taken a turn for the worse, the UDM leader said.

Holomisa's statement followed an ANC press briefing on Tuesday at which top officials said the party was united.

Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, ANC treasurer general Mathews Phosa, national chairperson Baleka Mbete, secretary general Gwede Mantashe and deputy secretary general Thandi Modise addressed the media at Luthuli House in Johannesburg as a collective.

Holomisa said allowing one political party to be too powerful and dominant created an arrogant government.

"Bearing this in mind, has the time not come for the South African voters to consider putting their eggs in other baskets?" he asked.

- SAPA