Mantashe warns against use of state institutions to fight political battles
The African National Congress (ANC) says
politicians contesting to be the president of the ANC must contest on the basis
of the party’s values.
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe says the use of state institutions to fight political battles will end up destroying the ANC.
“If we go to the conference in December and people begin to be personal and use all the dirty tricks. You must appreciate that it’s not the dirty tricks that are important, it is the destruction of the essence of politics and the destruction of the ANC,” says Mantashe.
Mantashe was responding to allegations by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa that state institutions were used to hack into his private emails.
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The emails purport to show that Ramaphosa was involved in sexual relationships with several young women.
Mantashe says all ANC leaders have a responsibility to ensure the success of December’s elective conference.
“It is not an individual responsibility to ensure the conference in December is successful. That leadership is not only national but also provincial, regional and in the branches. State institutions are in the state and the ANC has no direct authority over state institutions,” says Mantashe.