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TOUGH TALK: Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini during the UmKhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association national conference in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, at the weekend. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

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In a veiled attack against expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, Dlamini said uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association must "help deal with enemies who continue to insult the leadership of the ANC".

"They are busy setting up units in the mines. That's where the MKMVA comes in. They set up structures at workplaces to destabilise and weaken the National Union of Mineworkers, Cosatu and ultimately the ANC," Dlamini told the ex-combatants at their congress in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, at the weekend.

Dlamini, who admitted to being prone to getting emotional when talking about Malema's escapades, suggested that Malema was shooting himself in the foot by working against the ANC and unions.

Malema has been visiting striking mineworkers across the country, urging them to demand a R12,500 salary increase.

Dlamini cautioned MKMVA members to remain vigilant against enemies of the revolution who dressed themselves in colours of the ANC and shouted the same slogans to deceive the masses.

This statement was similar to "battle orders" issued by President Jacob Zuma on Friday, for the ex-combatants "not to allow the organisation to be destroyed".

Zuma told the delegates to "be wary of the enemy from within ... it comes in different guises, shapes and sizes". He spoke of "alien tendencies" within the organisation, which were factionalism, lobbying for positions, ill-discipline, fraud and corruption, gate-keeping and bulk-buying of members.

On the last day of the conference yesterday, the MKMVA adopted a resolution to heed Zuma's orders to fight the enemy, as the organisation was the last line of defence.

The organisation endorsed Zuma, his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe and secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and chairwoman Baleka Mbete to be retained in Mangaung.

It snubbed ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa and deputy secretary Thandi Modise. It wants their positions to be filled by ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairman Zweli Mkhize and Jesse Duarte respectively.

Phosa's constant criticism of the ANC leadership and government has rattled feathers and resulted in some structures omitting him from their list of candidates.

Meanwhile, Dlamini yet again showed his support for Zuma as he joined delegates waving his fingers in V-signs and singing an anti-Malema song.

Cosatu avoided discussing nominations at its congress last month, resolving to have the matter discussed at the federation's central executive committee meeting scheduled for Monday.

- nhlabathih@sowetan.co.za

• This article was first published in the printed newspaper on 15 October 2012

Comments

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Sat May 25 13:52:16 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 16, 2012

maneater

this sounds more like an incitement of violence than what malema is being accused of!!
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Oct 16, 2012

Dubul'Amanzi

Voetsek Sdumo Dlamin,you fool
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Oct 16, 2012

!!!Sinudeity!!!

But the MK vets are even more useless now than when they were back in the day.

Anyways, the enemies within the ANC would include most of the NEC.
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Oct 16, 2012

warry

Haai dlamini that might lead us to zimbabwe people calling themselves war veterans. I wonder y the government doesn't plant spies in there. They will get to know what's happening. The vets has sugar diabetes, stay in the communities, tired,hungry because of being neglected, etc.
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Oct 16, 2012

oldlady12

This truly sounds like the last days just before "Jesus returns", as the Bible also talks about false prophets in the last days. Maybe JZ had a vision before he uttered those words.
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Oct 16, 2012

MommaC

So now the MK are taking their orders from Cosatu?
This horses arse is calling for a private army to fight a political battle. That is just insanity
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Oct 16, 2012

shrink7

now i know why people are building bunkers
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Oct 16, 2012

Pointman

What a divided party. Maybe another split looming after Mangaung.
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Oct 16, 2012

LostGuy

This fool must be charged for inciting violence, and the outdated Mkhonto we zizwe must be disarmed, so its okay to incite violence as long as its against Malema?

Kgalema mothlante (pres)
Thandi modise (chairwoman)
Tokyo sexwale (DP)
Joel nethsitendze(SG)
Forbe (DSg)
Phosa(treasure)

Zuma jail and his cluless cronies
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Oct 16, 2012

guiliano

ANC is its own worst enemy.
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