The provincial secretary of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, Bheki Mtolo has lashed out at the ANC’s alliance partner Nehawu, saying its “incompetent members” were responsible for the collapse of many government entities.
Mtolo’s comment comes after Nehawu criticised the Government of National Unity (GNU).
Addressing people in Kokstad at the weekend, Mtolo said the problems encountered at the Department of Home Affairs, Sassa, emergency services (state ambulances), and labour inspectors are due to the incompetence of Nehawu members.
Nehawu is an affiliate of Cosatu, and an alliance partner of the ANC.
Recently, its members were filmed in a widely shared video on social media chanting “Asiyifuni i-GNU” (we don’t want GNU).
Mtolo said Nehawu hates the GNU led by the ANC because many of its members will no longer benefit from this government. Mtolo said the union professes to hate white people but, on the other hand, they serve them.
“Do you know a union called Nehawu? The majority of Nehawu people are in Home Affairs. When you go to Home Affairs and do not get attended to, Nehawu is responsible for that. When you go to Sassa and you do not get attended to, Nehawu is responsible. When you work on a farm and the employer does not pay you a minimum wage, Nehawu is responsible for that.
“They are in many hospitals, when there are no ambulances in hospitals it is them. They hate the ANC for a simple reason; it is that we do not want a system where individuals are served instead of the community.
“We must remember that as politicians and public servants we are there to serve our respective communities, not ourselves. No government exists only to serve politicians and public servants,” said Mtolo.
Responding to Mtolo, Nehawu provincial secretary Ayanda Zulu called on the ANC to analyse Mtolo’s statement and what it implies about the ANC in government.
The union gave Mtolo 48 hours to retract his statements towards them and issue a public apology.
“It is disheartening that these unwarranted attacks are cast against a revolutionary, transformative union, whose members continue to invest their limited union resources on a public service delivery campaign to achieve improved quality service to our people to better their lives, particularly the working class and the poor, and contributing to the building of a capable, developmental state that intervenes in societal needs,” said Zulu.
Mtolo also indirectly took a swipe at former president Jacob Zuma, who now leads the MK Party.
Mtolo said Zuma is fooling the people, promising them things he failed to do during his nine years in power.
“Here in KZN we are being made fools by one elderly man who thinks we have forgotten about his wasteful nine years. He thinks voters are stupid, he was in charge of the ANC for a long time but now that he is wearing different T-shirt regalia he wants to fix the country, but he failed to fix it when he was the president,” Mtolo said.
Meanwhile, the ANC in KZN embarked on a renewal programme when the party hosted its special PEC meeting, attended by the national deputy secretary-general Nomvula Monkonyane on Sunday.
ANC KZN chairperson Siboniso Duma said the renewal is on track following their May 29 election setback. Duma said this is the time for unity in the ANC.
“Now is not the time to dismantle what you have. Now is not the time to play games. The province of KZN is a unique province, it was the first time in history of the ANC that you had a former president contesting against the ANC. “The former president who comes from KZN utilised the strength of understanding the conservative element of the province.
“To blame the KZN structure would be a misdiagnosis of the realities. For now, we have to consolidate and close ranks. The posture of the ANC is to renew and move forward,” Duma said.
The Mercury