Times Of Swaziland: SWAZIS REACT TO ZUMA RECALL

SWAZIS REACT TO ZUMA RECALL
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BY NTOMBI MHLONGO on 14/02/2018 00:58:00


MBABANE – Finally, the ANC has seen the light! This was the view of some
Swazis who were interviewed following the news that the African National
Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee has taken a decision to recall
President Jacob Zuma.
For politician Marwick Khumalo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Lobamba
Lomdzala, Zuma became president not as himself but as a deployee of the ANC and
that it was in their Constitution that the NEC was the highest decision making
body.
“So once the NEC has reached a consensus to recall or install any of its
members, that decision stays. So the question of looking into the merits and
demerits of recalling him, I do not think we are qualified to do that,” said
Khumalo.
The MP stated that he was of the view that Zuma himself was aware and even said
it before that if the ANC recalled him, he had to oblige.
“That is the reason why I was shocked that he was not willing to step down.
However, it is the first time that the NEC met and recalled him so if he was to
refuse to step down, it would be something else,” he said.
According to Khumalo, with the NEC being the highest decision- making body, it
remained to be seen how Zuma would react to the latest developments.
“If he responds, it would be to just address the nation and resign. That
should be his form of response. I believe he will continue to be a loyal member
of the ANC just like Thabo Mbeki did,” said Khumalo.
Mbeki is a former President of the Republic.
Political analyst Musa Hlophe, said he appreciated that the ANC had finally seen
the light but argued that it had taken too long and had created a lot of
problems.
Hlophe stated that the ANC should also look at not only recalling him but also
all the individuals he had put in certain structures as channels for plundering
the economy of South Africa.
“The ANC had to begin with him. Now they should come back and claim the
cabinet of those who took part in the actual corruption and put them behind
bars. Thereafter, they should then bring back credible individuals like Pravin
Gordhan,” he opined.
According to Hlophe, newly elected President of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, should
take over as the South African president to lead the nation in the 2019
elections and clean up the dirt and reunite the party.
“The ANC, if it regains its integrity, here is a possibility that it would
retain two thirds of the majority in the election but it begins with recalling
Zuma,” Hlophe highlighted.