Jacob Zuma Group: We the ANC, we are the core of the ANC

Leader of the group, Carl Niehaus, is blaming some members within the African National Congress (ANC) of targeting Zuma for several years.

 

The Gauteng RET President Jacob Zuma Support Group is expected to hold a media briefing this afternoon to outline their plan of action to defend the legacy of the controversial former president.

 

"Because we believe that attacks on him are not simply there as attacks of his person, but because of what he stands for politically.

 

"For his support for radical economic transformation, the manner in which he has been trying to promote the cause of the poor," says Niehaus.

 

He adds the final straw came last Tuesday when Judge Dhaya Pillay issued a warrant of arrest for Zuma, which will come into effect should Zuma fail to appear in the same court on 6 May.

 

"This issuing of the warrant of arrest, under those circumstances, is an indication not of a judicial process but playing politics.

 

"Of wanting to use the concept of a warrant of arrest to create the impression that President Jacob Zuma is a fugitive of justice and therefore to give that tool of propaganda to further vilify him," adds Niehaus.

 

According to Niehaus, there is a clear political manipulation of the court action again the former statesman, and therefore, he believes that Zuma will not get a fair trial.

 

Niehaus - who is a former spokesperson in the office of then President Nelson Mandela, adds that all these factors play a part in why they believe Zuma had to be vilified in the public eye to discredit his stance against Western powers.

 

He adds those within the governing party targeting former Zuma, are damaging not only the reputation of the ANC, but of the lineage of the ANC.

 

Niehaus says nowhere in the world would one find that political parties allow their statesman and women being destroyed.

 

"There we believe as the supporters of President Zuma; we are in fact at the core, at the heart of the ANC, we are the ANC.

 

"When we say that Msholzi is us and we are Mshozi it is an overall political statement, saying that Msholozi is a representative of the black majority especially Africans in South Africa," says Niehaus.

 

He has further denied that the timing of their much anticipacted press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, has been scheduled to undermine the State Of the Nation Address (SONA) due to be delivered by President Cyril Rampahosa at the opening of Parliament on Thursday evening.

 

Niehau explains below: