Zuma urges veterans to help save divided ANC

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma says vote-buying, corruption and fights over positions are crippling the ANC in the run-up to its conference in Mangaung in December.

He told delegates at the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association congress on Friday in Boksburg that ANC members should not stand on the fence watching the ANC being destroyed from within.

"I don't think we should allow our organisation to be destroyed before our own eyes, only to say when it is dead 'we were disciplined, that is why we did not defend our organisation'," he said.

Worrying tendencies were threatening to destroy the 100-year-old ruling party.

"These tendencies include divisions and factionalism, jockeying for positions, lack of discipline and respect, fraud and corruption ... [and] bulk buying of membership," he said.

"History will judge us harshly if we don't address these challenges with the sense of urgency they deserve."

He urged the former guerrillas to use the political skills they acquired during the liberation struggle to defend the ANC from "the enemy" dividing the party.

"The movement has over the years invested in you and empowered you with many political and organisational skills. At what point shall we use these skills if we can't use them now?"

Zuma said that if "a mad man" was trying to burn down a house, he should be stopped.

The conference turned into a campaign rally for Zuma's second term as delegates sang songs in praise of him.

Zuma's senior adviser, former communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda, recently accused leaders of the veterans' association of reducing it to the president's "private army".

But speaking at the conference, the organisation's chairman Kebby Maphatsoe rejected the criticism, saying those who attacked its allegiance to the president had a factional agenda.

Maphatsoe called on veterans to support Zuma for a second term and only review the performance of the other five top party officials.

"We are still agreeing that Zuma should be president. You will discuss others. Comrade President Zuma is one of us. He is not someone who comes from outside that we should assess," he said.

The general secretary of the association, Ayanda Dlodlo, added her voice to the pro-Zuma campaign.

When introducing Zuma, Dlodlo said he did not have to lobby the association because he was "guaranteed of its support".

Earlier, ANC Youth League acting president Ronald Lamola felt the wrath of the organisation after some delegates sang songs showing unhappiness with him and shouted that he must apologise for his attacks on Zuma.

The chairperson of the session had to call delegates to order so that Lamola could address the gathering.