By Libuseng Nyaka
QWA QWA – Former South African President, Thabo Mbeki has come under fire for lacking a vision to improve service delivery by municipalities despite his high level of education as the blame game raises pitch ahead of the ANC elective congress in Mangaung in December this year.
Criticism against Mbeki’s administration came from none other than deputy chairperson of Thabo Mofutsanayana and Speaker in the same district council Mbothoma Maduna during an address at the Regional African National Congress Youth League council meeting last weekend.
Maduna who was former mayor for Setsoto Municipality praised current president Jacob Zuma for having a national plan to roll back Mbeki’s policy failures that hobbled municipal administrations during his tenure as head of state.
“I am not criticising former president Thabo Mbeki but I am merely stating a fact. Educated as he was, he did not have any plan on how municipalities must be run. We are now suffering as a result of his lack of national plan during his tenure,” Maduna said.
He said despite having no degree Zama has a national plan. “People wonder whether there is something wrong with our thinking. How on earth can educated and intellectuals elect a man who never attended school to lead them. We did not make a mistake; Zuma is
a born intellectual if he had acquired an education he would be a hell of a leader,” Maduna waxed.
Although Maduma denied lobbying for Zuma’s bid for a second presidential term, the unsolicited accolades made it abundantly clear where his support lay.
He painted Zuma as a political icon from a humble beginning where he cut his teeth working as a domestic worker at age of nine.
“Zuma never enjoyed his childhood or youth. He would accompany his mother who worked as a maid. He joined politics at a tender age and was imprisoned so that you can have this democracy you are enjoying today,” Maduna told members of the ANCYL at the University of Free State Qwa Qwa branch.
Maduna also defended Zuma against Malema‘s attack that the Zuma had stolen the ANCYL’s ideas of economic freedom.
“ANCYL is part on ANC and it is its duty to breathe new ideas to the mother body for the development of this country. It does not make sense for Malema to say President has stolen his idea,” Maduna said.
Maduna said Malema deserved expulsion from the party after being given a chance to defend his actions but remained defiant and disrespectful during the disciplinary hearing.
“Yet he considers himself as a victim” Maduna said.