Former Tourism minister Derek Hanekom is unfazed about the controversy on his anti-Zuma meetings with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Writing on Twitter, he insisted that South Africans must not be distracted.
Let’s not get distracted. The full story of state capture must come out and corruption must be rooted out.
Derek Hanekom
Earlier on Wednesday, Hanekom confirmed to SAfm News that “had coffee” with EFF Secretary General Godrich Gardee two or three times at Eastgate Mall in Johannesburg in 2017.
It’s no secret that there were a number of discussions between various organisations in the midst of a mounting campaign to get the former president removed from office.
Derek Hanekom
They reportedly discussed removing former President Jacob Zuma from power through a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
The secret ballot vote was eventually held in August 2017, but Zuma narrowly survived.
According to a News24 report at the time, about 30 African National Congress (ANC) MPs voted with the opposition against Zuma.
EFF leader Julius Malema first revealed Hanekom’s involvement during a rally in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon.
He alleged that Hanekom shared a list of ANC MPs who planned to vote against Zuma.
He also claimed that Hanekom and other ANC leaders were planning to form a political party if Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma won ANC’s 54th Conference in Nasrec.
However, in a message to SABC News, Hanekom denied giving EFF any list of ANC MPs or sharing any plans to form a political party.