The ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula has attested that the ruling party can not call upon justice minister Ronald Lamola or President Cyril Ramaphosa to pardon Jacob Zuma.
Ramaphosa briefly spoke to the media after the wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of former ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie
Duarte at Westpark cemetery yesterday. Asked if he would pardon Zuma, Ramaphosa just laughed. “What type of question is that?” was all he said.
The event was attended by several top ANC leaders, including Deputy President Paul Mashatile, ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, and Minister of Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
Ramaphosa described Duarte as a very stern leader who did not tolerate nonsense. “If you spoke out of line, she picked up the phone and called and not only said ‘what were you thinking about?’ She would admonish you and put you straight on your course again. She did this regardless of the position one occupied,” he said.
“Anyone in our movement who was a dedicated person to the principle of nonracialism, it was comrade Jessie, forever reminding us of what the ethos of our movement is with regards to nonracialism.”
Meanwhile, Mokonyane said it would be called interference if the ANC called on Justice Minister Ronald Lamola or Ramaphosa to pardon Zuma. “We think that there has to be objectivity in handling this matter,” she said.
“The relevant authorities have the task of reflecting on it and ensuring it is handled in a manner that does not create perceptions.”
On the ruling by the High Court in Johannesburg yesterday, which set aside the ANC Ekurhuleni regional conference, Mokonyane said she would not comment but did not think the ruling would affect the Gauteng ANC provincial executive committee.