The African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday rejected as false media reports that its deputy president Jacob Zuma was ”gagged” from addressing the recent national congress of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu).
”The ANC does not understand why some sections of the media, while making a pretence of reporting accurately, should continue to publish reports that are wholly false,” said ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama.
He was referring to reports that claimed Zuma was prevented by the ANC National Working Committee from addressing Sadtu’s sixth National Congress.
”The ANC wishes to place on record that the invitation to the ANC to send a senior representative to address the Sadtu congress was discussed by a meeting of the ANC’s officials — the top six office-bearers — as is normally the case on these matters.”
A decision was taken that the organisation would be represented by ANC national chairperson Mosiuoa Lekota.
There was no discussion of this matter at the National Working Committee, Ngonyama said. — Sapa