News / National
Zanu-PF distances self from Mugwadi utterances on ANC
11 Jan 2021 at 08:00hrs | Views
ZANU-PF has distanced itself from a statement issued by its director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi threatening to expose South Africa's African National Congress (ANC)'s alleged sinister agenda behind its decision to send a delegation to Zimbabwe last year.
The ANC delegation met Zanu-PF in September last year in Harare to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The meeting between the two sister parties was a bilateral engagement of former liberation movements requested by the national executive council (NEC) of the ANC to exchange notes on matters affecting the region including clearing the unfounded assertions of a crisis in Zimbabwe.
Zanu-PF national spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said Mugwadi's statement does not in any way reflect the position of the party. He said Zimbabwe and South Africa share a common liberation history, culture and destiny.
Posting on his Twitter account, Mugwadi threatened to expose the ANC's alleged sinister agenda behind its delegation's trip to Zimbabwe last year. The threat was an angry reaction to what Mugwadi described as hostile reportage against Zanu-PF by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)'s foreign editor Sophie Mokoena.
"If the ANC and SABC news do not restrain and rein in Sophie Mokoena, whose fake news reporting and tweeting directed only at undermining a neighbouring country and President Mnangagwa for no apparent reason, I will seek permission to leak a bombshell on why the ANC delegation came," Mugwadi tweeted.
In an interview with the SABC on Saturday, President Cyril Ramaphosa dared Mugwadi to come out with his "bombshell" and reveal the "real reason" which he claimed was behind his party's visit to Zimbabwe last year. Ambassador Khaya Moyo said Mugwadi issued the statement without authorisation from the party hence it should be dismissed with contempt.
"A statement issued by the Zanu-PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi on the visit last year by the ANC delegation to meet with Zanu-PF on matters of mutual interest does not in any way reflect the position of Zanu-PF. It (the statement) was issued without authorisation and must be dismissed with contempt," said Ambassador Khaya Moyo in a statement yesterday.
"The ANC of South Africa and Zanu-PF enjoy excellent and fraternal relations dating back to the days of our liberation struggle and continue blossoming up to this day. To suggest that the ANC delegation came to Zimbabwe with a hidden agenda is compound mischief, uninformed, unacceptable and unpatriotic."
Ambassador Khaya Moyo said necessary measures would be taken concerning the issue.
"A communique was issued on the constructive two-day meeting by the two fraternal parties and indeed these meetings will continue in the future. Nothing was amiss and necessary measures will be taken by Zanu-PF concerning those involved to this matter," he said.
"The President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF ED Mnangagwa, the President of the ANC CM Ramaphosa called each other in high esteem and no one should attempt to soil this fraternal relationship. We are one people sharing a common liberation history, culture and destiny."
President Ramaphosa told the SABC that the ANC sent its delegation to Zimbabwe to understand the situation in the country with a view to help.
"We sent a delegation as the ANC to Zimbabwe because Zanu-PF is a sister party to us, we have a deep and strong base with Zanu-PF and it was one to express concern and find out what was happening and to see the extent to which we can either be supportive and fully understand precisely what was happening," he said.
"I don't know what the representative of Zanu-PF was talking about and I am sure that he will be willing to share all that with the ANC and all of us".
President Ramaphosa said as far as he was concerned, there was absolutely nothing amiss and nothing to hide.
"At government level, I appointed three envoys who went to Zimbabwe and we continue to interact with Zimbabwe and I am also in contact with President Mnangagwa on an ongoing basis," he said.
The ANC delegation met Zanu-PF in September last year in Harare to discuss matters of mutual interest.
The meeting between the two sister parties was a bilateral engagement of former liberation movements requested by the national executive council (NEC) of the ANC to exchange notes on matters affecting the region including clearing the unfounded assertions of a crisis in Zimbabwe.
Zanu-PF national spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said Mugwadi's statement does not in any way reflect the position of the party. He said Zimbabwe and South Africa share a common liberation history, culture and destiny.
Posting on his Twitter account, Mugwadi threatened to expose the ANC's alleged sinister agenda behind its delegation's trip to Zimbabwe last year. The threat was an angry reaction to what Mugwadi described as hostile reportage against Zanu-PF by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)'s foreign editor Sophie Mokoena.
"If the ANC and SABC news do not restrain and rein in Sophie Mokoena, whose fake news reporting and tweeting directed only at undermining a neighbouring country and President Mnangagwa for no apparent reason, I will seek permission to leak a bombshell on why the ANC delegation came," Mugwadi tweeted.
In an interview with the SABC on Saturday, President Cyril Ramaphosa dared Mugwadi to come out with his "bombshell" and reveal the "real reason" which he claimed was behind his party's visit to Zimbabwe last year. Ambassador Khaya Moyo said Mugwadi issued the statement without authorisation from the party hence it should be dismissed with contempt.
"A statement issued by the Zanu-PF director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi on the visit last year by the ANC delegation to meet with Zanu-PF on matters of mutual interest does not in any way reflect the position of Zanu-PF. It (the statement) was issued without authorisation and must be dismissed with contempt," said Ambassador Khaya Moyo in a statement yesterday.
Ambassador Khaya Moyo said necessary measures would be taken concerning the issue.
"A communique was issued on the constructive two-day meeting by the two fraternal parties and indeed these meetings will continue in the future. Nothing was amiss and necessary measures will be taken by Zanu-PF concerning those involved to this matter," he said.
"The President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF ED Mnangagwa, the President of the ANC CM Ramaphosa called each other in high esteem and no one should attempt to soil this fraternal relationship. We are one people sharing a common liberation history, culture and destiny."
President Ramaphosa told the SABC that the ANC sent its delegation to Zimbabwe to understand the situation in the country with a view to help.
"We sent a delegation as the ANC to Zimbabwe because Zanu-PF is a sister party to us, we have a deep and strong base with Zanu-PF and it was one to express concern and find out what was happening and to see the extent to which we can either be supportive and fully understand precisely what was happening," he said.
"I don't know what the representative of Zanu-PF was talking about and I am sure that he will be willing to share all that with the ANC and all of us".
President Ramaphosa said as far as he was concerned, there was absolutely nothing amiss and nothing to hide.
"At government level, I appointed three envoys who went to Zimbabwe and we continue to interact with Zimbabwe and I am also in contact with President Mnangagwa on an ongoing basis," he said.
Source - chronicle
