Mzwakhe Mbuli has come guns blazing to say that he stopped supporting the ailing ANC after they dropped him when they abandoned him like unwanted chewing gum after he requested payment for the work he completed for the party. The renowned poet shared this during a recent interview on the radio. 

OWED HALF A MILLION 

Sharing the reasons why he did not campaign for the struggling ANC on 702, Mbuli said the last straw was when the party, which failed to gain an outright majority for the first time since the dawn of democracy, played hide and seek for years when he demanded payment for the job he had done for them. According to Mbuli, the ANC owes him a sum of R500 000, which dates back to 2009 when they approached him to mobilise artists to create a music album in support of athlete Caster Semenya, who had won the women's 800m final at the IAAF Athletics World Championships in Berlin, Germany. "I organised several artists like Rebecca Malope, Don Laka, Ntando, Solly Moholo, and Camagwini, among others to produce individual tracks, which were then compiled into an album titled The Human Spirit Triumphs," he added.

HE COVERED COSTS FROM HIS POCKET 

Mbuli said that he funded most of the artists while waiting for the payment from the ANC. He added that he paid for the studios that were used during the recording of the album. But when they were done with the project that was initiated by the ANC, the party failed to pay him. "For years, I used to go to Luthuli House to demand my payment and I would come back empty-handed," he said. 

He also said that he stopped supporting the ANC because they used and dumped him like sugarless chewing gum. Mbuli, who was at the forefront during apartheid and performed at every rally organised by the United Democratic Front (UDF), added that he has since stopped publicly endorsing ANC and did not campaign for them ahead of last month's general elections. "I don't attend anything ANC related, from the January 8 events to their rallies," he said. 

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said: "This matter is yet to be established."

RELEASING A NEW BOOK 

Mbuli also told ZiMoja that he will be releasing a new poetry book called The Spice of Life, a collection of poems. It talks about different subjects from the late Joseph Tshabalala leader and founder of Grammy award-winning ensemble, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, athlete Caster Semenya, Samora Machel, Amabhokobhoko, Ace "Mr Spot-on" Ngcobo and Chris Hani among others.