The ANC made a spectacular U-turn on Saturday, just hours after the party postponed former President Jacob Zuma’s disciplinary hearing to a date after the elections, reverting to the initially planned Tuesday proceedings but through a virtual hearing.
Earlier on Saturday, the governing party postponed Zuma’s grilling until after the May 29 elections, citing security reasons.
The party stated they were afraid of a large crowd that might gather around Luthuli House during the proceedings. As things stand, the ANC hopes for second-time luck with Zuma’s appearance at a disciplinary hearing, which was scheduled for Tuesday at Luthuli House.
This marks the second time he has received such summonses after he postponed the initial invite. Party officials now cross their fingers, toes, and tentacles in anticipation of Zuma’s elusive presence at round two of the disciplinary process.
A Luthuli House insider said: “He agreed to come to the first one but later postponed.”
The insider added that the meeting would take place in person rather than virtually.
The ANC wrote to Zuma in January to explain why he shouldn’t go through the procedures for forming another party, but he rejected the request.
Following the rejection, Sunday World learned that the ANC summoned Zuma for a hearing, which he had agreed to but later postponed.
Second time he’s called in to account
“This is the second one. In the first one, he could not make it and apologised. Now this is the second one,” a source at ANC headquarters said.
The national working committee (NWC) decided two weeks ago to send Zuma a second summons.
“We had an NWC two weeks ago and decided that we needed to call him back to DC because it was still pending and he said he was ready to come.”
The NWC questioned the delays, insisting that Zuma must come and explain himself before the party, said the source.
“Once he clarifies his position, they will apply the constitution, which forbids his behavior, and take further action against him.”
A national executive committee member said that at a political level, “we felt that the man undermined us. He is still saying publicly that he is still going to campaign for the MK. But he is still a member of the ANC, and he will die ANC”.
Undermined the ANC constitution
The person continued: “But you cannot do as you wish. You cannot do as you wish in any organisation. The ANC has a constitution. If you do not want to adhere to its constitution, you might as well leave.”
Asked about the timing of the DC so close to the elections, another ANC leader said Zuma’s popularity was overhyped. The leader added that he was only a big deal in KwaZulu-Natal.
“In other provinces, this thing of the MK is not there. We will be setting the wrong precedent because others may begin to follow him. The ANC must draw a line.”
According to the source, there must be discipline in the organisation’s operation. “This is about affirming the legitimacy of the party’s disciplinary process. And no one is above the law.”
In the first count of the charge sheet, the ANC accused Zuma of contravening the party constitution. The ANC alleged that he collaborated with a political organisation not affiliated with the ANC.
The document cited Zuma’s address to the MK Party in Soweto on December 16, 2023. During his address he purportedly called for the dislodging of the ANC as the ruling party.
The second count alleged that Zuma violated the party’s disciplinary rules by joining or supporting a political organisation that contradicted the ANC’s aims and policies.
Zuma is vying for the presidency in the upcoming elections under the MK Party banner.
