State President Kgalema Mothlante mercilessly condemned ANC members who disrupt meetings of the breakaway group who want to form a new party.

This comes after several meetings were disrupted around the country, including the Limpopo Provincial Consultative Forum meeting that was held at Tshilidzini Uniting Reformed Church at Tshisahulu, outside Thohoyandou, over the weekend.

An unruly group, using unacceptable vulgar language, wearing Jacob Zuma and Sasco T-shirts and waving anti-Lekota placards, forcefully entered the fully packed hall, singing anti-Lekota songs. Unfortunately, the guest of honour and provincial coordinator of the breakaway group, Solly Mkhatswa, had just finished rendering his vibrant speech, when the misbehaving little group entered the hall. The leadership skills of Mkhatswa saved the day as he ordered his people not to retaliate but to keep their cool.

After the arrival of the police, Mkhatswa ordered the peaceful closure of the meeting and the unruly group was left unattended.

Mirror received information from reliable sources that the unruly group had been bussed in from Univen and they were said to be bitter as they were fresh from a landslide defeat at the hands of Azasco during student representative council elections last week.

The persistent downpours could not stop hundreds of people from all over the province from attending the very first consultative meeting. The aim of the meeting was to brief communities about the soon-to-be-launched party and also to give them a platform to voice their concerns about the state of affairs in the country.

Long before the disruptive group entered the hall, the moment of truth came when Mkhatswa emerged amid tumultuous ululations and sloganeering. Mkhatswa urged all to go back to their communities and form interim structures per settlement, a branch in each village. “It is clear that 99% of South Africans love democracy and we must show this when we contest the elections next year. We are no longer hiding and we fear no one. Let us move forward. We all have a responsibility to deliver on the cause for democracy and peace-loving people.”

Mkhatswa said the movement had gained momentum and had become the envy of all parties and a thorn in the side of the ruling party. “We are in deep mourning. The party we built with our lives and blood is no more. It is now in the hands of criminals who will commit crimes and corruption, knowing that they have political solutions to protect them. How many cases will be swept under the carpet and not see their day in court? How many more cases will not be finished and just move in circles? The problems in the ruling party have made people awaken and decide to take a better route in order to save the country from these criminals. We are leading and they are following us wherever we go. They never did this to other parties, but because they fear us, they follow us at all our meetings. We are prepared to lay down our lives to defend democracy.”

He continued: “These people do not want us to tell the truth and the once-democratic organization has been relegated to a violent autocratic bunch of individuals who want to grab everything for themselves. We are a democratic group who do not disrupt their meetings and have respect for people. Look what they are doing; they lack respect and they can stoop so low as to insult the president of the country. We are not surprised these are the members of the new ANC and not the one we fought for with our souls and blood. They do not have parents; if they had them, they would teach them respect. We have taken a peaceful cause but they cannot withstand the sight of us prospering and hence the disruptions. They will never succeed. I have taken a stand, and so have you, to fight for democracy. The national convention is the only way to go, where the bright future of our country will be decided. Let us all go out in numbers and conduct ourselves in a dignified way because we know victory is certain.”

Vhembe Regional convener and a member of the provincial coordinating committee, Avhatakali Mulaudzi, later said the people had spoken. “We have the support of pastors, businesspeople and we have MECs, mayors, councilors and even premiers whom we cannot expose now as they are still holding public office. Their names will be made public in due course. The attendance speaks volumes and clearly shows that people are tired of these dictators and want fresh air and need a new home where they will all be catered for and not only a small group benefiting.”