Tito Mboweni not leaving ANC but admits ‘we must rebuild movement’

Former finance minister, Tito Mboweni, pledged his loyalty to the ANC, but admitted the party needed to be rebuilt.

As the ANC continues to deal with the fallout over former president Jacob Zuma’s public endorsement of the newly-formed Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, party stalwart Tito Mboweni said he will not be jumping ship.

Zuma recently appeared at an MK party event, reiterating that he would not vote for the ANC in next year’s elections.

As speculation circled which ANC members may join Zuma in backing MK, former finance minister Mboweni pledged his loyalty to the party but admitted the party needed to be rebuilt.

READ MORE: eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda denies allegations of supporting new MK party

“I am staying. I am going nowhere. ANC for life, but we must rebuild the movement,” he said.

A mayor to help?

Among those rumoured to be supporting MK is eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda, who a social media user alleged “directed the city’s resources to the party’s activation events around Durban”.

The user questioned whether Kaunda was deliberately sabotaging the ANC in Durban.

Mayoral spokesperson Mluleki Mntungwa rubbished the claims.

“It is common knowledge that Mayor Kaunda serves as the Mayor of eThekwini Municipality at the behest of the ANC. Therefore, as a disciplined member of the ANC and an accountable public representative, Mayor Kaunda will never divert public resources for an agenda that is unknown to him and the council.”

The mood inside the ANC

Analysts labelled Zuma’s endorsement a blow to the governing party, and its Veterans League said it amounted to “treason and treachery”. It called for “strong action” to be taken against Zuma.

However, the ANC’s highest decision-making body between conferences, its national executive, has reportedly not met over Zuma’s actions.

ALSO READ: ‘A huge insult’: Calls for ANC to take action against ‘defiant’ Zuma

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told the Sunday Times the feeling inside the party was that Zuma had “decided to leave”.

According to the Mail & Guardian, the ANC leadership has asked Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize to “neutralize” Zuma.

Additional reporting by Faizel Patel