Former President Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday attacked his successor, Jacob Zuma, for destroying Sars and then presenting himself as the solution through the MK Party.
Mbeki was addressing Unisa students at the Main Campus in Tshwane on various domestic and international political issues.
Rare occurrence by the statesman
His attack on Zuma was a rare one where he mentioned the man by name. He quoted the Zondo Report, which pinned the destruction of Sars on the Nkandla pensioner.
Mbeki spoke of two ages in South African political life: one being 1994-2007 and another being 2008-2022.
According to him, there was growth and an upward trajectory in the running of the country in the first age. While “everything went the opposite direction” in the second age, which started with Zuma at Union Buildings.
Referenced scathing Zondo report and Nugent report
Mbeki referenced the Nugent Commission report as a moment that should have been alarming. This after revealing that there was a spirited attempt to destroy the revenue collector. He said Zondo went further to place Zuma at the centre of that destruction.
The usually diplomatic Mbeki said he was therefore shocked that there are people who want to support the MK Party, which is led by Zuma. The man who wanted to destroy Sars and ushered in the age of downward spiraling of the country’s fortunes.
“Who indeed is this President (Zuma)? Because there is no way you’re going to be able to square the circle that the President of the RSA acts to destroy the revenue services?
He blamed Zuma for the disinvestment in the country by big capital because of uncertainty about where the country was going. This was there in ages one, when Mbeki was the head of state.
Too many things wrong about MK leader
“It is either the Zondo commission is entirely wrong or we are dealing with somebody who is entirely wrong,” charged Mbeki.
“Take the MK Party, you cannot say I remain a member of the ANC but you support a party that is going to campaign in order to defeat the ANC. That does not make sense.
“One of those two things is wrong. This breakaway, MK, is led by people who tried to destroy Sars.”
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