The African National Congress (ANC) must stop discussing who is going to lead the party after its 2017 elective conference, Congress of South African Trade Union's (Cosatu's) president S’dumo Dlamini said on Wednesday.

He told several hundred marchers in Johannesburg that the ruling party should rather focus on its people, who were being exploited by their employers in the business sector.

"We say to the ANC, 2017 is two years from now. The rush to debates about leadership of 2017 is a recipe for disaster."

Thousands of Cosatu members were taking part in marches across the country, including Cape Town and Durban, for worker rights.

Dlamini also took a swipe at Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Mmusi Maimane, and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) commander-in-chief, Julius Malema, saying they needed to have more respect for the ruling party.

"There is a man who likes saying 'Bagaetsho' [my people], he must stop disrespecting our organisations and our leaders in Parliament and outside."

'Stolen our colours'

Referring to Maimane, Dlamini said he was still young and had a long road ahead of him. "He must first fix racism within the DA."

Dlamini said DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard had proved that the party was racist.

Kohler Barnard is facing a charge of bringing her party into disrepute after sharing a post calling for the return of late apartheid-era president PW Botha on her Facebook page.

"And I don't want to talk about those who have stolen our colours and wear our clothes," he said, referring to the EFF.

"You can wear our clothes and think you can undermine us as workers. We know who you are, even if you take part in anti-corruption marches... you cannot fool us," Dlamini said.

Last week on Wednesday civil society organisations, as well as the red-clad EFF and axed Cosatu general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, took part in an anti-corruption march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. 

News24.com