In what appears to be a swipe against ANC presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former police commissioner and ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Bheki Cele says the ANC should not elect its leader based on gender alone, and should stick to its traditions, which include letting the deputy president of the party become its leader.
Cele addressed a South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) gathering in eSikhawini in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday, according to eNCA. He reportedly said: "I won't elect a leader under these conditions, who doesn't speak about corruption. Tell us what you will do about corruption and those who are corrupt when you become the president."
According to Times Live, Cele took aim at the Guptas and state capture. He reportedly decried the fact that no one was held accountable for the 2013 Air Force Base Waterkloof landing, when a plane full of Gupta family wedding guests was allowed to land at the military air force base.
"I was once police commissioner and I've never landed on a military base before‚ but people who just came to get married get to land at our bases. They land there‚ they get escorted by blue lights [vehicles] to their wedding. These people [the Guptas] came‚ got married and then didn't go home. Apparently, they have a habit of calling ministers to their home and asking them what they have‚" Cele reportedly said.
Cele reportedly said he did not support anyone for the presidential race, but in what appears to be an endorsement of ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, he said: "I support the ANC in following the tradition of electing deputy presidents [as the next president]."