Archbishop Desmond Tutu should provide his sexual history before speaking as an expert on Jacob Zuma’s sexual behaviour, the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) said on Sunday.
”We cannot allow Tutu to undermine decisions that are taken within constitutional structures of the ANC on the support to be given to Zuma,” said Cosas president Kenny Motshegoa in a statement.
The students condemned Tutu’s attacks on the ANC deputy president.
”His malicious statements to declare that comrade Zuma should withdraw from the race for presidency are illusions without significance or impact to sober South Africans.”
He labelled Tutu an ”empty populist who just utters statements to score minor political points, not caring whether they are disgraceful to his offices”.
”We are now not sure of his mental status as it leaves much to taste. His public behaviour is reckless and he is a scandalous man who cannot impose his moral views.”
Motshegoa said to label the support given to Zuma as one that is not principled is an insult by the archbishop.
”Howling voices like Tutu, which are not founded on principles cannot mislead us.
”Does Tutu think he is higher than the court that cleared Zuma, or does he think he has a better moral base than others?”
Last week Tutu called on Zuma not to pursue the race to become the ANC president, while delivering the Harold Wolpe Memorial lecture in Cape Town.
He said: ”I pray that someone will be able to counsel him that the most dignified, most selfless thing, the best thing he could do for a land he loves deeply is to declare his decision not to take further part in the succession race of his party.”
Tutu’s allegations that there was a race within the ANC, which the ANC deputy president should withdraw from, are uninformed, criminal and full of self-interest, Motshegoa said.
”We do not need any bishop, businessman or any self-proclaimed principal to tell us who the ANC must elect to the presidency, as the delegates to national congress will decide on the party’s leadership in 2007”.
Cosas also said that it was not amazed by Pennuel Maduna’s response and high interest in the matter.
”He is directly implicated together with [former National Director of Public Prosecutions] Bulelani Ngcuka in the plot to deal with comrade Zuma to fulfil their personal interests by manipulating institutional structures of government to further their ambition,” said Motshegoa.
”We will meet fire with fire to ensure that the deputy president of the revolutionary organisation enjoys his rights like everyone else”.
To conspirators like Maduna, Ngcuka and National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli, who thought they could decide the future of the country in pubs and bars, Cosas said: ”things done in the dark ultimately come to light”.
The students also declared their support for jailed criminal Tony Yengeni’s family. – Sapa