Former President Jacob has waded into the controversy surrounding senior African National Congress (ANC) leader Derek Hanekom, describing him as “a known enemy agent.”
In a tweet on Thursday morning, Zuma said he’s not surprised by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema’s revelations about Hanekom.
I’m not surprised by @Julius_S_Malema revelations regarding @Derek_Hanekom. It is part of the plan I mentioned at the Zondo Commission. @Derek_Hanekom is a known enemy agent.
Former President Jacob Zuma
Malema’s claims
Malema sensationally claimed on Tuesday that in 2017, Hanekom met EFF leaders to discuss removing Zuma from power.
Malema claimed that Hanekom also shared with the EFF a list of ANC MPs who were planning to vote against Zuma in Parliament.
Zuma survived the August 2017 vote of no confidence narrowly. According to a News24 report, about 30 ANC MPs voted with the opposition against Zuma.
Hanekom has since admitted to meeting EFF Secretary General Godrich Gardee about two or three times. However, he denied sharing any list with the EFF.
He also denied Malema’s claim that he and others were planning to form a political party if Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma won the ANC’s 54th National Conference in Nasrec in December 2017.
Furore
Zuma’s comment adds to the furore surrounding Hanekom’s admission.
In an extraordinary statement issued by the ANC late Wednesday night, Secretary General Ace Magashule lambasted Hanekom as a “charlatan” and wedge-driver.”
He also accused Hanekom, a long-serving ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) member, and others in the ANC of being “EFF sleepers” working to divide the ANC.
Plan by agencies
In a recent appearance at the Zondo Commission on state capture, Zuma claimed that there has been a plan by three intelligence agencies against him.
He claimed that these agencies have conspired against him since the early 1990s because as ANC’s Chief of Intelligence, he knew of spies within the ANC who were working for “the enemy.”
The constant efforts through the years to keep him from power or to remove him from power are part of this conspiracy, he claimed.