ANC: We must continue to respect Mugabe
The African National Congress (ANC) says there is no reason for South Africans to stop respecting former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
The ANC's Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe, briefed the media at Luthuli House on Wednesday.
"We have taken an approach that is not as emotional as others. Zanu-PF is our sister party and ours is not to celebrate this or that. We have taken a view that says we must continue respecting Mugabe for the role he played as a freedom fighter and continue supporting him for advocating the Africa's development programme," said Mantashe.
He called on Africans to celebrate Mugabe's Pan-Africanism.
Mantashe says he wouldn't describe Mnangagwa as a new leader.
"The new leadership that comes there, I don't know how new it will be. I listened to one commentator saying we need a younger leadership, comrade Mnangwagwa is a young leadership. And I thought he is 75, yes 75 is younger compared to 93, but he is not so young, therefore new is not so new," Mantashe said.
Mantashe gave an assurance that the ANC will continue to work with Zanu-PF, but has no plans to meddle in the details of who gets appointed into which position in government.