The new party’s Secretary General, Romeo Matjila, said in an interview with OFM News that Mahumapelo gave his blessing to the party, but said he is going to stay in the ANC. 

This is despite violent protest action in the province that led to his resignation and infighting in the ANC which resulted in the provincial executive committee – led by him – being dissolved. Matjila criticised the media for speculation that former president Jacob Zuma and Mahumapelo were part of the new party.

“We went to everybody. I am amazed at the media because you guys are singling out only two people. We’ve released a statement that says we have consulted with the kings and you are not asking about the kings. We have sent a letter to comrade Mbeki. Unfortunately, he was too busy for us. The only people who had time to entertain us was comrade Zuma and Supra. We asked for advice and we got advice,” says Matjila.

The newly-formed political party held a press conference yesterday in Marikana near Rustenburg in the North West and lambasted the ANC leadership for removing its leaders, such as Zuma and Mahumapelo, in pursuit of what they call capital gains.

Speaking at a press conference, MAC president, Reggie Ngcobo, said such leaders were removed because they advocated for radical economic transformation.

He says Mahumapelo was robbed of his chance to rebuild, rebrand and revitalise the economy of the province. They maintained that the link between them and him was his programme of building the economy of villages, towns and small dorpies (VTSD) and Setsokotsane.

Romeo Matjila said although Mahumapelo would remain an ANC member‚ he had expressed his support for MAC’s transformative agenda.

OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane