The Umkhonto Wesizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) has threatened to render the Western Cape ungovernable if its Premier Helen Zille continues ”insulting” newly elected President Jacob Zuma.
”Should Helen Zille not refrain from this anti-African and racist behaviour, we are not going to hesitate, but craft and launch a political programme aimed at rendering the Western Cape ungovernable,” MKMVA chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe said in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
Maphatsoe said this was not intended to send the wrong message to the world, but that veterans could not sit back while Zille cast disdain on Zuma’s cultural preferences.
He was reacting to Zille’s comment that Zuma put his wives at risk of Aids as he had unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman.
The MKMVA’s deputy secretary Ramatuku Maphutha said the association would mobilise soldiers in the Western Cape to go to Zille’s office sometime next week if she did not retract her statement.
”They are always ready [the soldiers]. It’s either she [Zille] vacates the office, or cooperates. We are prepared to sleep there if need be until we get an impressive response,” said Ramatuku.
The veterans congratulated all elected public representatives in the provincial legislatures and Parliament, particularly Defence and Military Veterans Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and her deputy Thabang Makwetla. — Sapa