Early Breakfast withRelebogile Mabotja

ANC stalwart Cheryl Carolus has slammed President Jacob Zuma for "blatantly misrepresenting the facts" when he took a swipe at party veterans during his opening address of the ANC's policy conference.

The veterans council decided to boycott the first two days of the conference after the party failed to facilitate a separate consultative conference to address the crisis within the ANC.

A group of 101 stalwarts have raised serious concerns about Zuma’s leadership and have called for him to step down.

Zuma lashed out at the party's stalwarts who've been critical about the state of the ANC under his leadership.

Read: Zuma questions legitimacy of ANC stalwarts during his ANC policy conference talk

Carolus says Zuma was dishonest about when and how the stalwarts approached ANC leadership with their grievances.

As veterans, we are loyal to the #ANC and its principles. We are not loyal to the abuse that is happening in the party now." #TalkAtNine

— 702 (@Radio702) July 2, 2017

In the interest of the ANC and our country, Jacob Zuma has to step aside. He is fatally flawed, corrupt and divisive.

— Cheryl Carolus, ANC stalwart

She says the liberation movement has gone from facing a crossroads to sitting in muck.

We have never before been in a cesspit of venality that Jacob Zuma has bought the ANC into.

— Cheryl Carolus, ANC stalwart

The ANC needs major surgery to cut out this cancer.

— Cheryl Carolus, ANC stalwart

Carolus is adamant that ANC veterans still want to call a consultative conference that is preceded by a thorough diagnostic.

She says that the policy conference currently underway is pointless, without proper, consultative processes.

"Having a policy conference is futile, if the people whom you entrust with the policy are themselves divided or guilty of criminal offences"

— 702 (@Radio702) July 2, 2017

Also read: ANC needs to check who Zuma's handlers are - Cheryl Carolus

She maintains that ANC leadership, including some in the top six, failed top address their concerns for several months and adds that the ANC has done to veterans what it has done with alliance partner Cosatu.

According to Carolus, the government's service delivery direct consequence of lack of accountability and thievery withing government.

Take a listen to her explain why veterans have stuck to their guns:

This article first appeared on CapeTalk : Zuma using his platform in divisive, un-ANC way, says stalwart Cheryl Carolus