Former African National Congress (ANC) chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota has urged South Africans to join the campaign to defend the Constitution against attacks by new ruling-party leaders.
Addressing thousands of disgruntled ANC members in Langa, Cape Town, on Saturday, Lekota cited a number of statements by certain ANC leaders as evidence that the country’s Constitution was in danger.
”The people shall govern principle is no longer for all of us — there are serious deviations. We must make sure that all South Africans join hands to defend the Constitution,” he said.
Statements by certain ANC leaders calling for a solution to ANC president Jacob Zuma’s legal problems as well as threats to kill if he did not become the country’s president were strong indicators that the Constitution was no longer safe.
”The time to defend our democracy is now,” Lekota said.
Lekota appealed to all South Africans who respect the Constitution to attend the upcoming national convention to decide on measures to counter the current onslaught on democratic principles.
Dismissing as ”empty threats” criticisms from the ANC leadership against those agitating for a breakaway party, Lekota said no attack would make him stray from his mission.
”It’s not about me, it’s about what the people want. We refuse to be intimidated or bullied — we will continue to mobilise our people,” he said.
Lekota described Friday’s abduction of his bodyguard as part of a broader strategy to intimidate him.
”They are trying to send a message to me to say that if you do not do as we say, we will deal with you. If they think that they can intimidate people from the desire for freedom, then they are mistaken,” he said.
Leaders of the various Western Cape regions, including Boland and South Cape, told Lekota that they had obtained a mandate from an overwhelming number of branches to participate in the proposed national convention.
The regions are at loggerheads with the ANC leadership over what they claim to be attempts by ruling-party heavyweights to impose decisions on them.
Lekota told the more than 3 000 members attending the meeting that similar gatherings ahead of the convention were taking place in other provinces.
Kidnapping
Police confirmed on Saturday that a case of armed robbery and attempted kidnapping was being investigated following the alleged abduction of one of Lekota’s bodyguards.
”A case of armed robbery and attempted kidnapping was reported at Hammanskraal police station on Saturday around 2am. We are still investigating,” said Johannesburg police spokesperson Senior Superintended Vish Naidoo.
On Friday, Lekota said that Sello Mpyaatona was abducted by armed gunmen at Soshanguve Section JJ in Pretoria on Friday morning.
”He left the surgery about 9am. As he was driving back, he noticed a car flickering its lights behind him.” The occupants gestured to him to stop, which he did. A man got out, carrying a large envelope.
”Sello saw the barrel of a gun through a hole in the envelope. He was ordered into the driving seat of his car, and the gunman got in behind him,” Lekota said.
”Sello was directed to follow a gravel road and later ordered to stop in a field. After searching the car, they took two cellphones, Sello’s watch, about R5 000 in cash, and the car keys. He reported the matter to the police in Pretoria North, and the matter is now in their hands.”
He added: ”One of the abductors told him, ‘This party you and Lekota want to form, you will form in heaven.”’ — Sapa