South African opposition leader Helen Zille has been threatened by the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association to render the Western Cape ungovernable if its Premier Helen Zille continues “insulting” newly-elected President Jacob Zuma.
MKMVA chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe said on Wednesday, “Should Helen Zille not refrain from this anti-African and racist behaviour, we are not going to hesitate, but craft and launch a political programme aimed at rendering the Western Cape ungovernable,” .
Maphatsoe said this was not intended to send the wrong message to the world, but that veterans could not sit back while Zille cast disdain on Zuma’s cultural preferences.
The war of words erupted days after Zuma reached out to opposition parties in a conciliatory speech at his inauguration.
Zille is quoted as saying: “Zuma is a self-confessed womaniser with deeply sexist views, who put all his wives at risk by having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman.”
The ANC Youth League responded saying; “The league is disgusted by remarks attributed to the racist girl Helen Zille. ”
Self-proclaimed polygamist Zuma was acquitted of rape in 2006 when he conceded having unprotected sex with his accuser, an HIV-positive family friend, but said he showered afterwards to prevent infection.
The MKMVA’s deputy secretary Ramatuku Maphutha said the association would mobilise soldiers in the Western Cape to go to Zille’s office sometime next week if she did not retract her statement.
“They are always ready [the soldiers]. It’s either she [Zille] vacates the office, or co-operates. We are prepared to sleep there if need be until we get an impressive response,” said Ramatuku.
The veterans congratulated all elected public representatives in the provincial legislatures and parliament, particularly Defence and Military Veterans Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and her deputy Thabang Makwetla.