By Zukile Majova
Political Editor
With the 29 May elections a mere five weeks away, the ANC is finally rolling out its big guns with former president Thabo Mbeki hitting the campaign trail in Ward 34 in Soweto.
Mbeki has changed his tune after initially indicating he would not be comfortable campaigning for an ANC that allowed criminals into its leadership structures.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has responded to the ANC Veterans League’s concerns by removing party leaders implicated in and charged with various crimes.
Senior leaders including the country’s former president Jacob Zuma have been squeezed out of the ruling party and charged with fraud and corruption.
Zuma has already spent a stint in prison, although Ramaphosa later released him through a presidential remission.
Former ANC secretary-general and Free State premier Ace Magashule has been charged for his alleged role in the R250-million asbestos-roof scandal in the province.
Most recently, Ramaphosa’s ANC recalled a sitting speaker of the National Assembly after she was charged with taking over R4-million in bribes from a businessman who won over R200-million in defence contracts.
These and many other incidents of the removal of allegedly corrupt ANC leaders in various regions and provinces have opened the door for ANC stalwarts to return to campaign for the party.
Ramaphosa said that in the next few weeks, former president Kgalema Motlanthe and former deputy presidents Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, DD Mabuza, and Baleka Mbethe will all hit the campaign trail.
“We have many leaders in the ANC who are going to be coming out from all parts of South Africa to campaign.
“And they will come out because they are ANC, irrevocably ANC,” said Ramaphosa.
Mbeki, who has once again become massively popular with ANC supporters, will begin his campaign with a walkabout and a meet-and-greet in Soweto.
The campaign will end with Zizi (Mbeki’s clan name) addressing the community at Jabulani Mall in the afternoon.
Pictured above: Former president Thabo Mbeki is expected to be a big drawcard for the ANC.
Source: X
