Former president Jacob Zuma, who was on Friday endorsed by the leader of the All African Alliance Movement (AAAM) as its preferred MK Party presidential candidate, has called on the church and traditional leaders to return the country to its pre-1912 state.
AAAM party leader, archbishop Nchime Sophonia Tsekedi, formally announced that AAAM had joined hands with the MK Party during a press briefing at the Modimo O Lerato Church in Central Jabavu Soweto on Friday.
During his address, Zuma said traditional leaders and the church called for black people to unite to form a pro-black political party which later formed the basis for the ANC to be formed in 1912.
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Zuma said in spite of 30 years of democracy, black South Africans continued to be poor in the country of their birth, while white people continued to get rich and export the country’s minerals and wealth abroad. Those who were supposed to enjoy the country’s minerals were being sidelined by the very same politicians they had voted into office during the past 30 years.
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“I am glad that the church and traditional leaders are now standing up like they did when they helped with the formation of the ANC in 1912,” Zuma said. “It was them that galvanised people to unite and they were joined by the educated black people who had gone abroad to receive their education to lead the formation of a black political party as the vanguard of their interests.
“I now call on the church and traditional leaders to do the same again because it has become important for the church and traditional leaders to stand up and vote for the true liberation of the majority of black people who remain poor in the country of their birth,” he said.
Tsekedi said it was possible for the MK Party to receive a two thirds majority across the country’s leading church formations.
In the past, Tsekedi claimed that he had the support of more than 12 million members through the church, adding that the church could help grow the MK Party’s support in the upcoming elections.
“We are going to vote for MK as the movement and we will encourage our congregations to vote for this glorious organisation.
“We will tell them that when we vote, we will be voting for a two thirds majority. Some of the mega churches have a following of 5 to 10 million, while others have the support of 500 000 and I say, it is possible to get a two thirds majority,“ he said.
Tsekedi said as the AAAM would only support a government that championed the return of land to its people. Zuma had proved himself as be the only president who was for the people.
“Out of all the presidents we have had, Zuma is the only person that has demonstrated his love for the people.
“All that he has championed for and fought for during his tenure as president was for the advancement of South Africans, particularly black people,” Tsekedi said. | Additional reporting by Sipho Jack
Saturday Star