Former president Jacob Zuma does not have “leprosy” so more ANC leaders can come and support him.
This was the message from ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule to other ANC leaders on Tuesday as he addressed the media at the Zondo commission in Parktown.
Magashule said there was no need to explain his presence at the commission since he was “here like anyone else.”
“Other ANC leaders have appeared before this commission and will continue to come. No one is prevented from coming, people make their own choice. Zuma has no leprosy so we can come and support him,” said the secretary-general.
He was addressing the media during the lunch break of the second day of testimony being given by the former president.
Zuma loyalist, former finance minister David van Rooyen, former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo, former communications minister Faith Muthambi and MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus along with Magashule and ANC communications member Dakota Legoete have been among the prominent ANC leaders who have graced the proceedings in support of the former president.
Magashule, while refusing to be drawn into some of the allegations being made by Zuma, did suggest that, “in every revolution there are counter revolutionaries.”
He, however, refused to confirm whether he agreed or disagreed with Zuma’s accusation of former public service and administration minister, Ngoako Ramatlhodi – who himself had earlier accused Zuma of auctioning his executive authority to the Gupta family – as “a spy recruited while he was a student in Lesotho”.
Magashule maintained there could be some truth to the allegations being made by the former president as he was “at some point at the helm of the intelligence of the ANC.”
He said these accusations and counter accusations where detrimental to the ruling party.
Magashule said this did not bode well for the ANC, but conceded that airing contentious issues was “the very reason” why the commission was instituted.
“It will take some effort” to rebuild the image of the party, added the secretary-general.
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