'A prosperous SA and ANC cannot coexist in one space': Mashaba hits back at Mbeki's claims

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has weighed in on former president Thabo Mbeki's claim that SA would be “ungovernable” if the ANC collapsed.  

Mbeki sparked a major debate over the weekend when he told ANC delegates in the Free State: “If the ANC collapsed today, ceased to exist, this country would become ungovernable simply because of the influence of the party.”

He said the ruling party owed it to the nation to sort itself out and should focus on service delivery, not a leadership race.

Taking to social media, Mashaba said a prosperous SA and the ANC cannot coexist in one space.

“Is Thabo Mbeki planning to destabilise and render the country ungovernable in the event of the collapse of the ANC? A prosperous SA and the ANC cannot coexist in one space. 

“One has to die, and it cannot be SA whether Thabo Mbeki likes it or not,” said Mashaba.

Attempts to get further comment from Mashaba were unsuccessful at the time of publishing this story. It will be included when received.

Controversial former ANC staffer Carl Niehaus said instead of working for “renewal and unity”, Mbeki stoked the fires of division.

“Wherever Thabo Mbeki goes, he fuels divisions. When he lost the presidency of ANC to former president Jacob Zuma, he was the force behind the formation of COPE.

“He is the ‘Dalai Lama’ of COPE. He abandoned the ANC for more than 10 years! How can such an arch factionalist bring renewal and unity?” said Niehaus. 

In 2011, TimesLIVE reported that Mbeki was found to be directly involved in the formation of the ANC breakaway party.