Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) president Motsoko Pheko criticised the media on Sunday for ”extremely sensationalising issues when reporting about the party”.
He told reporters in Johannesburg the PAC was suing a newspaper for about R5-million after an incorrect report about the party was published. He did not identify the newspaper nor did he say what the report was about.
”The media must be very, very careful about the way it is treating us because we cannot allow a situation where the nation is misled at our expense.”
Pheko was speaking after the party’s national executive committee meeting, at which a PAC programme for the next 100 days was drawn up.
He described as ”nonsense” former PAC secretary general Thami ka Plaatjie’s accusation that the recent party leadership elections were flawed.
”I never want to answer a question by slating someone else but what was said by Plaatjie is utter nonsense.”
Plaatjie said on Saturday in Pretoria about 70% of PAC members felt the party’s recent leadership election was flawed. Speaking on behalf of the disgruntled group, he said they would push for a review of the June 15 congress in Soweto where Pheko was elected president. Plaatjie, who also stood for president, walked out of the Soweto congress along with several other members, claiming the vote was flawed.
Those who joined him reportedly included former finance secretary Vusi Nkumane, former security secretary Mtutuzeli Mama, and former Azanian People’s Liberation Army commander Enoch Zulu.
The walkout came six months after the party suspended its previous congress in Umtata because of allegations that Pheko had smuggled in youngsters to vote him into power. Plaatjie claimed on Saturday the Soweto congress saw a similar process.
Pheko said on Sunday the party was not prepared to entertain Plaatjie’s accusations because he was not in the PAC programme.
”We are dealing with serious issues at our hands like the suffering of our people. If he [Plaatjie] is serious he must be concerned about the plight of the masses,” he said.
On US President George Bush’s upcoming visit next month, Pheko said the American was coming to the country to seek legitimacy.
”He has undermined the United Nations, falsified information about the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and displaces thousands of people, for greed and oil,” he said.
”Bush wants to be welcomed here as the spokesperson for Africa. His other key agenda is to push for genetically modified food on our continent.”
The PAC was among organisations that criticised Bush for launching the war against Iraq, accusing him of bypassing the United Nations in his bid to topple Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. The South African government also opposed the war, but was more restrained in its criticism.
Bush is due to make a five-nation tour of Africa from July 7 to 12.
Pheko said his visit was an opportunity to demonstrate to Bush that Africa was not for sale.
”We are told globalisation is good for the poor. Yet the elements of this concept inherently create unequal societies and people,” he said.
”We must resist every effort to allow the emergence of a unpopular world where the US is the global, political and economical leader. Africa cannot afford that hegemony.”
Pheko said as part of the programme adopted at the committee meeting, an economic status campaign would be launched in all provinces.
The campaign would outline the party’s opposition to the privatisation of state assets, call for an equitable redistribution of land and free education.
The PAC was planning to hold a land summit and launch a project, called Ubambisisu — Tshawara Lephalo, which aims to help and retrain the unemployed. – Sapa