The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Foundation on Wednesday distanced itself from a protest that took place outside the home of South African Communist Party second deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila on Tuesday.
The foundation laid blamed the protest on two members of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA).
This revelation comes from a founding member of the MK Foundation‚ Afrika Majola‚ who said there was a certain agenda that was being pushed by the two individuals‚ who go by the identity of Sparks and Lulamile.
“We are distancing ourselves from what happened yesterday. The two comrades Sparks and Lulamile do not belong to MK Foundation‚ they belong to MKMVA which is led by deputy minister (of Defence and Military Veterans Kebby Maphatsoe). On the other hand‚ you have general MK members who are opposed to what is happening at MKMVA‚” Majola told TimesLIVE.
The protest happened while ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa was delivering a message of support at the sixth central committee meeting of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Mapaila suddenly stood up and rushed out of the room after receiving an alert that a group of apparent supporters of President Jacob Zuma were outside his home. They were holding placards reading “Hands off Zuma” outside his house in Boksburg.
Mapaila has been leading the charge for Zuma to step down after his recent cabinet reshuffle‚ which resulted in two ratings agencies downgrading South Africa’s credit rating to junk status.
Cosatu is also supporting the call for the president to resign and has banned Zuma from speaking at any of their events.
The MK Foundation was formed in February after Maphatsoe took a swipe at the more than 100 veterans group‚ labeling them as “empty tins“‚ “irrelevant” and “without struggle credentials” for demanding President Jacob Zuma’s audience and some calling on him to resign.
The foundation does not fall under the ANC. It is an independent camp that has over 1‚000 members‚ according to Majola.
“Those comrades that went to Mapaila’s house went there with a purpose of tarnishing our name. We will call them individually and tell them to refrain from using our name. Otherwise we will take legal action against them if they continue using our name‚” said Majola.
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo told TimesLIVE that a meeting between the alliance and the MK Foundation will be held later today to discuss Tuesday’s incident outside Mapaila’s house‚ where a minibus taxi and a private car arrived with people wearing MK Foundation t-shirts and military regalia.
Mashilo said a case has been opened at the local police station.
Security around Mapaila has been increased after the party said he was the target of an assassination attempt on 10 April at an event to commemorate late SACP leader Chris Hani.
Maphatsoe was not immediately available to comment on the allegations levelled against his members.
MK Foundation distances itself from Mapaila protest
The Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Foundation on Wednesday distanced itself from a protest that took place outside the home of South African Communist Party second deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila on Tuesday.
The foundation laid blamed the protest on two members of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA).
This revelation comes from a founding member of the MK Foundation‚ Afrika Majola‚ who said there was a certain agenda that was being pushed by the two individuals‚ who go by the identity of Sparks and Lulamile.
“We are distancing ourselves from what happened yesterday. The two comrades Sparks and Lulamile do not belong to MK Foundation‚ they belong to MKMVA which is led by deputy minister (of Defence and Military Veterans Kebby Maphatsoe). On the other hand‚ you have general MK members who are opposed to what is happening at MKMVA‚” Majola told TimesLIVE.
The protest happened while ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa was delivering a message of support at the sixth central committee meeting of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Mapaila suddenly stood up and rushed out of the room after receiving an alert that a group of apparent supporters of President Jacob Zuma were outside his home. They were holding placards reading “Hands off Zuma” outside his house in Boksburg.
Mapaila has been leading the charge for Zuma to step down after his recent cabinet reshuffle‚ which resulted in two ratings agencies downgrading South Africa’s credit rating to junk status.
Cosatu is also supporting the call for the president to resign and has banned Zuma from speaking at any of their events.
The MK Foundation was formed in February after Maphatsoe took a swipe at the more than 100 veterans group‚ labeling them as “empty tins“‚ “irrelevant” and “without struggle credentials” for demanding President Jacob Zuma’s audience and some calling on him to resign.
The foundation does not fall under the ANC. It is an independent camp that has over 1‚000 members‚ according to Majola.
“Those comrades that went to Mapaila’s house went there with a purpose of tarnishing our name. We will call them individually and tell them to refrain from using our name. Otherwise we will take legal action against them if they continue using our name‚” said Majola.
SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo told TimesLIVE that a meeting between the alliance and the MK Foundation will be held later today to discuss Tuesday’s incident outside Mapaila’s house‚ where a minibus taxi and a private car arrived with people wearing MK Foundation t-shirts and military regalia.
Mashilo said a case has been opened at the local police station.
Security around Mapaila has been increased after the party said he was the target of an assassination attempt on 10 April at an event to commemorate late SACP leader Chris Hani.
Maphatsoe was not immediately available to comment on the allegations levelled against his members.
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