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Sasolburg - ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has raised concerns over what she termed a negative narrative against the governing party, saying the narrative was perpetuated at schools and universities.
Dlamini-Zuma, who has been on the campaign trail since before she formally left her position as African Union commission chairperson, made a stop in Zamdela, in the Free State on Thursday. She was there in her capacity as an ANC national executive committee member for the province's cadres assembly.
Free State ANC chairperson Ace Magashule held the assembly to inform branches of the ANC in the province of developments in the party and the outcomes of the extended National Working Committee, which was held following President Jacob Zuma's shock Cabinet reshuffle.
Three of the top six leadership voiced their disapproval over the abrupt changes to the national executive. They claimed to not have been consulted over the decision.
Balance of power
"They [kids] are actually taught against the ANC," Dlamini-Zuma said.
"It’s not surprising that kids will think the ANC is corrupt‚ [or that the] ANC is useless, because this is what they are fed at school."
She alleged that some universities, such as the University of the Witwatersrand, refused to allow their students to call South Africa a democracy.
She claimed most schools would only say there is democracy and freedom in South Africa once another party took over.
Dlamini-Zuma said ANC members needed to constantly be aware of the balance of power.
"We must be honest when we analyse what's going on. We can't not admit that the organisation is weak at this point in time," she said.
Once we are weak and once we are divided, we cannot mobilise and unite society, she added.
Vacuum
Dlamini-Zuma also warned the ANC of the danger the party faced should it not play its role in society properly.
"The laws of nature, let alone politics, will not allow a vacuum. Where the ANC leaves a vacuum, you can see others will come in," said Dlamini-Zuma.
Meanwhile, Magashule, who praised the former AU commission chair, said she should not say no when the branches called upon her to lead.
Magashule said he was not throwing a name into the race for succession, but did say he felt Dlamini-Zuma had all that was required to lead.
"She's very much capable, if she can lead the AU, she can lead the ANC and South Africa," said Magashule.
He said the province would only make its views heard once the ANC officially opened the nomination process. The party's current leadership will step down in December when the ANC holds its 54th national elective conference.
"We have many capable leaders, just that we have to choose one to lead us," he said.
