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IFP outraged as Zuma takes a dig at opposition parties

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President Jacob Zuma
President Jacob Zuma

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has condemned President Jacob Zuma’s utterances about the party, saying he has “nothing of substance to offer”.

In a statement today, the IFP said that Zuma has referred to it as a “formerly violent party”, adding that this “demonstrates that the ANC is in desperation mode”.

Zuma allegedly made the remarks during the ANC’s “Countdown to victory” function in Gauteng last night.

“It clearly shows that as president of his party he has nothing of substance to offer to the citizens of South Africa,” the IFP said.

“He must remember that the AK 47s and other weapons came from Russia and the IFP has no connections with that country,” said IFP National Chairman Blessed Gwala in the statement.

“Zuma was silent when members of his own party were killing their own candidates and were embarking on violent protests in many parts of the country that led to loss of life and destruction of property. It is rich of him to stoop so low and point fingers at the IFP instead of getting his own house in order.

“We do not expect a national leader to make such comments instead of promoting peaceful elections. As the president of the ANC and president of the country, Zuma does not command respect and therefore we treat his comments with the contempt that they deserve”.

It seemingly did not all end yesterday as Zuma still had loads more to say about other political parties today.

During his election campaign trail in the North West today, Zuma said people should know the history of the Democratic Alliance.

“I don’t want to talk about other organisations because I always forget what they’re called but there is one that existed during apartheid days, called at the time the Progressive Party, and the National Party was in charge and the two gave birth to the Democratic Alliance. I can’t believe that some people who were oppressed vote for an organisation that oppressed them,” he said.

“It is worse for those who were oppressed by the mother of the DA to even become the leaders of the DA; they’re confused. Even if you look at the DA now, you can see it is a confused organisation.

“Why should you worry about them? They don’t carry your interests ... they carry interests we don’t know (and) some of the guys who sat in Parliament during the National Party still sit there under the DA. The DA is the product of the old Progressive Party and the National Party; don’t ever forget that.”

Without saying his name, Zuma then launched an attack on the UDM and its leader General Bantu Holomisa.

“There was a fellow we called the soldier ... he was a general somewhere. He misbehaved during the time of Mandela and was chased out of the ANC and formed an organisation; and that organisation is shrinking in size because it was never blessed,” Zuma said.

In reference to Cope leader Mosiua Lekota, Zuma said: “There is another one (party) formed by one fellow I once knew who was the national chairperson of the ANC. And I always asked comrades: ‘how did we elect this one the national chairperson; such a fellow?’ His organisation has shrunk,” Zuma said.

“(Other political parties) have no capacity, no experience, they don’t even know what they must say. They wait for the ANC to launch its manifesto, then copy it. You’re only voting for them to become members of Parliament and to be called honourable member; that’s all. They will never change the country ... the country will be changed by the ANC.”

He said the ANC has – after being in power for more than two decades – become an “an example”. He added that “no country in the continent of Africa – those who liberated themselves – can say in 20 years they have done such delivery as we have done.”

“We have the plan, capacity, and we have experience of governance for 22 years. The ANC liberated us and today it is in the process of establishing a country that must be prosperous; a country that will serve all our interests. The ANC still believes the poor and the working class are important,” Zuma said.

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