ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member Bheki Cele went on a full-out attack against the Gupta family at a cadres' forum in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday, according to IOL News.
"Everywhere you go it's the Guptas. They are everywhere. The Guptas must go back to where they came from and they must take their friends with them because we hear they have got friends," the former SAPS commissioner said.
Cele said the country had been "Guptarised" and the family should "stop interfering and chowing money" in South Africa. Cele also warned the ANC that they were in danger of losing the 2019 elections if they did not change their ways.
"We did not join it [the struggle] so we can have bodyguards or government cellphones. You can take those away, for all I care."
"I am from uMzumbe but I will never take government's money, build uMzumbe and then expect the people of SA to like me and my organisation," Cele added. The leadership failures were the reasons why he was embarrassed to be a member of a party.
On Sunday, NEC member Nomvula Mokonyane, told Cele to resign if he felt embarrassed. Cele responded by saying: "You might not like me but please respect me. I am not your relative and was not brought to the ANC by you. We are not friends and I don't want to be your friend... We did not join it [the struggle] so we can have bodyguards or government cell phones. You can take those away, for all I care."
Cele, who has now openly backed deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa to become president, said it was the ANC's tradition for the deputy president to ascend to the position of the president once the latter's term has ended.