President Jacob Zuma - PICTURE: AFP WHEN the ANC started preparing for the 2009 election campaign, one thing was crystal clear: the party‘s tripartite allies, Cosatu and the SA Communist Party, were fully behind it.Cosatu had 2.2million members. Each one could go home and mobilise their family members.The trade union federation‘s then secretary-general, Zwelinzima Vavi, proclaimed that he was prepared to kill for ANC president Jacob Zuma.SACP leader Dr Blade Nzimande was always with Vavi on stage, flanking Zuma at rallies and stepping in to protect Zuma from making intellectual gaffes.This trio was complemented by a rampant and voluble ANC Youth League president, Julius Malema, who also proclaimed his preparedness to kill for Zuma.Providing guidance and political cover was a graduate from the ANC Youth League, Fikile Mbalula, who ran a vigorous election campaign and pulled off a major coup by bundling Nelson Mandela on a plane to Johannesburg to be present at the ANC‘s final electio...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.