Following African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa’s greeting by delegates with the song ‘wenzeni u Zuma?’ (What has Zuma done?) at the ANC KwaZulu-Natal conference this weekend, newly elected provincial chairperson Sboniso Duma defended the song and former President Jacob Zuma.

Duma won the top post with 930 votes against the province’s Premier Sihle Zikalala, who received only 665 votes.

Duma said Zuma should be given support adding that judicial processes needed to be consistent.

Zuma’s arrest led to the province’s July unrest that resulted in widespread looting and many deaths.

“The song is one that kept on drumming to say please make sure that President Zuma, as our former State man of our country, must be protected, loved and embraced. It was to merely say his matter should have been handled differently…,” Duma said.

He said Zuma continues to suffer as an 80-year-old and pointed out that if there was tangible, admissible evidence that he committed any crime, he would have been charged.

“This is not the way to treat our elders in the communities because I doubt if there is a society that celebrates that someone is not given a fair chance in the court processes. As leaders of the society, it is our sole responsibility to protect those who are vulnerable,” Duma said.

He also promised that the new provincial leadership would hit the ground running to assess government and make changes to become a responsive government.

Duma said the new leadership would shape and introduce new elements to the organisation.

He called for all ANC members to rally behind the elected leadership and thanked Zikalala for his role.

“Going forward, I vow to work well with the fellow elected PEC as well as the additional members as we press on the issue of renewal in the organisation,” Duma said.