Former Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus has appealed his expulsion from the country’s governing party ANC, he confirmed on Monday.
Lambasting the governing party in a YouTube video before he appealed, Niehaus expressed his disappointment over his expulsion saying that this is not the ANC he knows.
Said Niehaus: “I will immediately appeal this ridiculous vindictive sentence of expelling me from the ANC. This is not the ANC I know. This is not the African National Congress that I joined at age of 19 years in Botswana for which I dedicated my whole life, sacrificed my youth and seen my own family reject me. For which I served for which I served 10 years in Pretoria Maximum security prison and detention for high treason… for which I was arrested, detained in solitary confinement for a long time and tortured to point where I have lost most of my hearing…”
Niehaus said he has always been loyal to the ideals with which he joined the ANC “the ideals for freedom and full liberation of the people of South Africa”, noting that he had never betrayed the party.
The distraught former president Jacob Zuma’s staunch supporter has fumingly filmed his reaction after finding out on social media about his expulsion. He is arguing that he was not formally told but heard from his ” close comrade” Supra Mahumapelo.
“I have not received that letter personally. That letter was simply sent out to the public domain by that kangaroo court, the court that calls themselves the national disciplinary committee.
“It is utterly unacceptable that any person who is personally affected as I am by such a ridiculous decision by the national disciplinary committee must hear about this on social media and there’s not even the most basic decency to first ensure that I am informed about this vindictive decision.”
According to Niehuas, he is still a member of the ANC, he said in a Tweet.
“I have already appealed the travesty of justice of my illegal expulsion by the ANC National Disciplinary Committee. Because I have appealed the farcical expulsion is suspended. I remain a full member of the ANC,” reads the tweet.
Niehaus was expelled as a member of the ANC earlier on Monday. He was charged with six counts of misconduct for contravening Rule 25 of the ANC Constitution.
One of the charges relates to a press conference that he conducted in Nkandla following the issuing of the warrant of arrest for former president Jacob Zuma for failing to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture chaired by now Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
During the press conference, Niehaus was quoted as saying Zuma’s legal woes were a resultant of factionalism and some politicians using state agencies such as the National Prosecuting Authority to target the former ANC president.
Also read: Expelled Carl Niehaus likens ANC DC to a kangaroo court
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