Zuma says it was because of his stance on socio-economic transformation and land reform.
“I was poisoned and almost died just because South Africa joined Brics [the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa business communities] under my leadership, they said I was going to destroy the country,” Zuma said.
According to media reports, Zuma told members of the ANC national executive committee in November that there had been three attempts to poison him, reports The Mercury.
One of the attempts was allegedly carried out by his estranged wife Nompumelelo Ntuli in 2014 and ended up with Zuma being treated in Russia.
Ntuli-Zuma was later chased off the Nkandla homestead and denied the allegations.
Addressing hundreds of supporters in Phongolo in KwaZulu-Natal, Zuma said he had become a target for calling for radical economic transformation.
“Since we fought for freedom, why can’t we fight for complete freedom? We are being attacked because we are asking for economic freedom,” he said.
The ANC Cadres’ Forum was the first event to be addressed by Zuma in his home province after he survived a motion of no confidence in Parliament last week where even some members of the ANC voted in favour of his ousting.
He said the ANC should use its constitution to crack the whip on the ANC MPs who voted with the opposition.
He hinted that he wanted these MPs removed from Parliament, saying they had contravened the ANC constitution.