Johannesburg – In what could be seen as a response to former president Jacob Zuma's scathing letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has taken to Twitter to express his unhappiness with the lack of unity in the ANC.
Mboweni called on ANC members to unite and for attacks against the organisation to stop.
His remarks, which were made on Monday night, followed an ANC NEC meeting held at the weekend which saw the party's leadership mull over accusations of corruption which have accelerated in recent months with Covid-19 tender corruption concerns.
Ramaphosa, with his fellow top six members, addressed a media briefing on Monday afternoon following the meeting.
In a letter to ANC members, he labelled the party as being “accused number one” in the public's perception and concerns over corruption.
The NEC also endorsed his suggestion that ANC leaders who hade been accused of corruption should step aside from their positions until their cases were resolved. Those who had been found wanting should also subject themselves to the ANC integrity committee.
Ramaphosa's letter had been perceived badly by some members, with Zuma penning a letter to him attacking his leadership and his stance on the ANC being accused of corruption.
Mboweni did not mention Zuma by name, but his tweets have been attributed as a reference to Zuma.
He said Zuma's role in the ANC intelligence leadership had been largely exaggerated. Another issue was that he perceived Zuma as having crossed the line.
Zuma has over the years threatened to write a book about what he knew about his enemies, Mboweni has called for him to write it.
Mboweni tweeted: "And this thing of some amongst us retired ones wanting to dictate from the grave is wrong! Particularly those who were party of nine years of destruction!! And they claim to have Intelligence Files! Rubbish!"
"He has being proclaiming for years that he is writing a reveal all book. Where is it? Figment of imagination!! He has, over the years, over-exaggerated his role in intelligence! We have known each other over many years. I think that he has now crossed the LINE!"
Mboweni also called on ANC members to unite and for some ANC members to be called to order, including Mzwandile Masina. Masina had conducted a one-man protest outside the ANC where he suggested Ramaphosa should step aside if he was implicated in accusations of corruption.
"These relentless attacks on our organization must stop. And ANC leaders must not feed the frenzy. Order comrades! We must UNITE and call young comrades like
@mzwandileMasina to order! Stop Fire!! Unite!"
IOL