According to Mbeki, Zuma might have worked as an informant or spy for the apartheid regime while he was in Robben Island prison, image: AFP
(The Post News)- The recent accusations made against Jacob Zuma by former President Thabo Mbeki have caused a stir both inside and outside of the African National Congress (ANC). Mbeki charged Zuma with perhaps serving as an informant or spy for the apartheid government while incarcerated on Robben Island during a heated discussion at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The two former ANC leaders’ already tense relationship has been made more difficult by the allegations, which were first revealed by Sunday World this past weekend.Mbeki’s charges have drawn criticism, especially as they touch on Zuma’s lengthy prison sentence. Mbeki has questioned the circumstances underlying Zuma’s 10-year incarceration since he claims that there are no official documents of his trial. A NEC official told Sunday World, “His incarceration was not recorded for the 10 years he served on Robben Island.”
“There are no records of the trial Zuma allegedly attended, and no one is aware of it.”The comments are made in the midst of a long-standing disagreement between the two men that dates back to 2005. Mbeki controversially removed Zuma from his position as deputy president that year due to accusations of money laundering, corruption, and fraud related to the Arms Deal affair.
Since then, political tensions have been exacerbated by the terrible consequences of that choice.Zuma’s presidency, which has been marred by corruption allegations, remains one of the most contentious periods in post-apartheid South Africa’s history. The former leader has faced multiple legal challenges, including charges of corruption and his involvement in the State Capture scandal, which was the focus of the Zondo Commission.
In an interview with IOL, a spokesperson for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, dismissed Mbeki’s claims as mere attention-seeking. “Mbeki was never even on Robben Island, yet he’s called a freedom fighter,” Ndhlela remarked. “If someone like the late comrade Chris Hani wrote a letter urging that Mbeki not lead, it speaks volumes about his character. Mbeki is an opportunist.”
Zuma’s camp has also hit back. According to a member of the NEC, Mbeki’s suspicions about Zuma’s prison records may be overblown. “There are many missing records from the apartheid era. This is not unique to Zuma,” the member said. Another Zuma supporter, MKP Head of Presidency Magasela Mzobe, took to social media, mocking Mbeki’s comments. “At this rate, Mbeki will tell us that Zuma was never in exile and was just on an extended holiday,” Mzobe quipped.
Other political personalities have also responded to the charges. In reference to a pivotal event in ANC history, Zwelinzima Vavi, general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), recalled a discussion between former President Nelson Mandela and Neil Barnard, the head of intelligence during the apartheid era. When Mandela discovered who the ANC’s spies were, he warned that exposing them may completely destroy the movement, according to Vavi.
Despite the claims, some Zuma supporters think Mbeki’s hostility stems from jealousy. Mzobe claimed that President Mbeki was emotionally and intellectually harmed by the Polokwane Conference. “He has never forgiven Zuma for defeating him in a democratic election held by ANC branches.”
However, not everyone in the ANC has agreed with Mbeki’s remarks. Some of his followers dismiss his accusations as the result of a sour rivalry that stems from their fight for the ANC leadership, while others see them as a valid investigation into Zuma’s background.
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