UNDER FIRE: Mosiuoa Lekota

The Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association planned to lobby for a motion to remove ANC chairman Mosiuoa Lekota as chairman of the conference, said national chairman Kebby Maphatsoe.

"He is divisive, he is not going to be impartial," Maphatsoe told Sapa on Saturday.

He said the association was unhappy with comments Lekota had made over ANC deputy Jacob Zuma, in particular a recent statement about the terms of Zuma leaving his post as deputy president of South Africa 2005 shortly before he was charged with corruption.

Lekota told The Times newspaper that Zuma had asked to be dismissed from the cabinet.

During that period there was an uproar over Zuma’s departure which escalated to perceptions that it was a ploy to prevent him from succeeding Mbeki.

Because the association did not have voting powers for the conference, it would try to have Lekota removed by lobbying voting delegates to make the proposal.

"We are going to lobby," said Maphatsoe.

Lekota’s replacement at conference should also be a veteran, he said.

Proposals that the association hoped would be accepted at the conference included the establishment of a ministry of military veterans’ affairs, recognition of the association in the ANC constitution so that they would have voting rights in future, and that veterans under 35 also receive payment from the special pension payment scheme for military veterans, he said.

The corruption case against Zuma, which stemmed from his relationship with his financial adviser Schabir Shaik, has since been struck off the roll.

Zuma amassed wide support after he left his post and was expected to be nominated for the party’s presidency at its 52nd national conference underway in Polokwane.

Lekota has also raised the ire of ANC Youth League after he said the T-shirts they wore in support of Zuma were divisive.

The league undertook not to wear these T-shirts at the conference but have been seen wearing them during the initial conference registration.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and The Times.