ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa called the disruption of the main Cosatu May Day rally at Loch Logan Park in Bloemfontein on Monday “regrettable and unfortunate” but said that it was a consequence of the same actions the ANC has been warning about.
A group of anti-Zuma workers marched into the grounds and sang‚ chanted and heckled the Cosatu leadership‚ preventing them from continuing with the official programme.
The central executive committee of Cosatu eventually gave in and called the event off‚ without President Jacob Zuma not delivering his key note address as scheduled.
“It is regrettable and unfortunate that such a significant‚ historic Workers’ Day was reduced to political leadership differences‚” Kodwa said.
Unite or we will lose power in 2019: ANC treasurer-general Zweli MkhizeAfrican National Congress (ANC) treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize has warned his party to unite in a bid to avoid losing power in 2019.
“It was a moment to celebrate really‚ but at the same time a moment to reflect on how exactly do we continue to unite workers to fight any form of exploitation‚” he continued.
“So it’s unfortunate that the day was reduced to one individual. The day is not about President Zuma‚ but about the workers.”
Kodwa said the disruption of the Bloemfontein event was a consequence of early pronouncements on preferences over who would take over from Zuma.
“The incident is a consequence of what the ANC has been warning about‚ including the alliance partners‚ the leagues and all individuals who have prematurely announced in public their leadership preferences‚” he explained.
“We have said‚ when you do so‚ it undermines our efforts to forge unity in the alliance. At the same time it also deepens divisions‚ as you can see now.”
He emphasised that the ANC at no point even considered not sending Zuma to Bloemfontein.
“Not at all. There is no decision by Cosatu that he must not come as the President of the ANC. It was a position again of the affiliates of Cosatu‚ nobody suspected this would happen‚” he told TimesLIVE.
“The political impact of the president not showing up at a May Day rally is much more dire than the consequence of an unruly crowd. Him not going‚ is much more deeper and would have sent the wrong political message‚” he continued.
“It was the right decision not to withdraw him and I don’t think we regret that decision.”
Kodwa said that while he had not spoken to the president following the collapse of the rally‚ he understood that Zuma was “jovial”.
“The president is quite jovial. He understands exactly the point the issue was not about him‚ that his name should not have been made the issue of the day‚” Kodwa said.
“The day was about workers. It is unfortunate that none of the alliance partners including Cosatu‚ which was the main party in terms of that event‚ could not speak to its own constituency. It’s regrettable.”
TMG Digital
This is what we have been warning about‚ says ANC’s Kodwa of Bloemfontein fiasco
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa called the disruption of the main Cosatu May Day rally at Loch Logan Park in Bloemfontein on Monday “regrettable and unfortunate” but said that it was a consequence of the same actions the ANC has been warning about.
A group of anti-Zuma workers marched into the grounds and sang‚ chanted and heckled the Cosatu leadership‚ preventing them from continuing with the official programme.
The central executive committee of Cosatu eventually gave in and called the event off‚ without President Jacob Zuma not delivering his key note address as scheduled.
“It is regrettable and unfortunate that such a significant‚ historic Workers’ Day was reduced to political leadership differences‚” Kodwa said.
“It was a moment to celebrate really‚ but at the same time a moment to reflect on how exactly do we continue to unite workers to fight any form of exploitation‚” he continued.
“So it’s unfortunate that the day was reduced to one individual. The day is not about President Zuma‚ but about the workers.”
Kodwa said the disruption of the Bloemfontein event was a consequence of early pronouncements on preferences over who would take over from Zuma.
“The incident is a consequence of what the ANC has been warning about‚ including the alliance partners‚ the leagues and all individuals who have prematurely announced in public their leadership preferences‚” he explained.
“We have said‚ when you do so‚ it undermines our efforts to forge unity in the alliance. At the same time it also deepens divisions‚ as you can see now.”
He emphasised that the ANC at no point even considered not sending Zuma to Bloemfontein.
“Not at all. There is no decision by Cosatu that he must not come as the President of the ANC. It was a position again of the affiliates of Cosatu‚ nobody suspected this would happen‚” he told TimesLIVE.
“The political impact of the president not showing up at a May Day rally is much more dire than the consequence of an unruly crowd. Him not going‚ is much more deeper and would have sent the wrong political message‚” he continued.
“It was the right decision not to withdraw him and I don’t think we regret that decision.”
Kodwa said that while he had not spoken to the president following the collapse of the rally‚ he understood that Zuma was “jovial”.
“The president is quite jovial. He understands exactly the point the issue was not about him‚ that his name should not have been made the issue of the day‚” Kodwa said.
“The day was about workers. It is unfortunate that none of the alliance partners including Cosatu‚ which was the main party in terms of that event‚ could not speak to its own constituency. It’s regrettable.”
TMG Digital
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