READER LETTER | Indeed ANC has 'wrong members'

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe's mind is polluted. If his mind was not polluted, he would not have disputed what former president Thabo Mbeki said – that since 1994 the ANC has been attracting wrong members. The former president is correct.

In my view, the term "wrong members" is subtle. Even Jeff Hadebe and Gwede Mantashe commented in 2012 at the Mangaung elective conference that the ANC was infiltrated by mosquitoes and rotten elements. They were right, but did nothing because they were supporting their man.

Wrong ANC comrades are the ones butchering honest comrades for positions and tenders. They were supposed to be called "crooks". As long as the ANC still has "mosquitoes and rotten elements", it would be futile even if new members are indoctrinated in the party's conventions and given political education.

Yes, Mbeki was there but there was nothing he could do alone to prevent wrong members elected to the national executive committee (NEC) as the ANC has a culture of using its majority to protect alleged crooks and thieves. In the ANC, the truth is relative.

We have seen it in parliament when 99% of ANC politicians defended Jacob Zuma for wrongdoing.

Even at the Nasrec elective conference in December 2017, the ANC continued to elect known crooks and thieves to the NEC for the sake of unity. Even at the December elective conference, wrong members will be elected to the NEC.

But at the same time we are told the party needs to be renewed. How could the party be renewed while "mosquitoes and rotten elements" are retained? Only the ANC knows. It is a pity that the majority of ANC comrades only speak with one voice when they defend crooks and thieves.

But they do not speak with one voice when condemning corruption. Hence Mabe does not believe that the ANC has been attracting wrong people from 1994.

Lyborn Rikhotso, Giyani