Former South Africa president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane, declared that he is ready to lead the ANC, according to Afrikaans Sunday newspaper Rapport.
Duduzane, who has been staying in Dubai for the past five years, told the newspaper that he planned to return “as soon as flights to SA resume again” and that he aims to try and defeat President Cyril Ramaphosa at next year’s ANC national elective conference.
He added to say that he was already recruiting support from ANC branches in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Gupta family business associate said this should not be considered as an attempt to stop the court battles his father was facing. He explained to the paper that he believed in his father’s innocence and he not stop believing in him, but explained that he felt like his father had also failed in the implementation of ANC policies.
“It is time to move forward, and I believe there is now an opportunity to get involved. I believe I have a lot to offer [as president of the party] and I’m willing to stick my neck out for the ideals that are not being realised,” he told the paper.
Duduzane said he had some policies he wanted to implement which are free tertiary education, land expropriation without compensation and the nationalisation of the Reserve Bank.
“These are all policy decisions that had been accepted by the ANC before. Why are they not being implemented?”
Mixed views came from staunch supporters of his father on Duduzane’s announcement with some praising him for his “bravery” while others warned him that his election would be an uphill battle.