Zuma’s disciplinary hearing postponed over security concerns

The ANC has suspended plans to present Jacob Zuma to the party’s board of directors. National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) at its headquarters, Luthuli House in Johannesburg’s CBD, on Tuesday, May 7, where supporters of former president uMkhonto Wesizwe’s (MK) party were preparing to gather.

At a press conference on Sunday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the party was avoiding large gatherings at its headquarters, which could end in chaos.

He said all in-person meetings at Luthuli House would be suspended until after the May 29 general election.

“In furtherance of this duty and based on an assessment of the security situation prevailing at Luthuli House, the office of the secretary-general was informed that activities that have the potential to attract large gatherings that could result in violent or disruptive behavior are not permitted.” are advisable, especially so close to election day.

“This is exacerbated by the activities of certain political parties in organizing protests and sit-ins at Luthuli House. It was in this context that the NDC was asked to be aware of these concerns and consider keeping any disciplinary proceedings requiring in-person meetings at Luthuli House on hold until after the 2024 elections,” he said.

Read more at Daily Maverick: Who exactly is Lennox Ntsodo, the man accusing Zuma’s MK party of forging signatures?

In a letter sent to Zuma from the office of NDC president Ralph Mgijima, Zuma was informed that the meeting would be held virtually because details of the meeting had been leaked to the public.

“As the details of the hearing and the charges were made public by persons unknown to the ANC and the National Disciplinary Committee, the spokesperson (Nhlamulo Ndhlela) of the MK party asked his members to gather at Luthuli House to protect him. “He has not taken any steps to inform the MK party that he would be safe at his own political party headquarters and that such protection is unnecessary,” the letter states.

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“As a responsible organisation, the ANC does not want a repeat of the incident of 28 March 1994, when members of another political party stormed the then ANC headquarters at Shell House, resulting in loss of life, extensive destruction of property and the declaration of a state. emergency in 11 magisterial districts of the East Rand and throughout the province of KwaZulu-Natal. “A situation like this would be totally unjustified on the eve of a general election.”

However, Mbalula told the media that the party had decided to cancel the meeting, for now.

Zuma was supposed to appear before the NDC for two breaches of rule 25 of the party’s constitution:

• That he acted “on behalf of or in collaboration with an organization or political party other than an organization or party in the ANC alliance in a manner contrary to the aims, policies and objectives of the ANC”; and
• For “joining or supporting an organization or political party other than an organization in alliance with the ANC, contrary to the aims, objectives and policy of the ANC”.

Mbalula said Zuma had violated the party’s constitution, an act that placed him unequivocally outside the ANC.

“Events around Jacob Zuma have been fluid and rapid, from the announcement of the vote for MK to now leading the party. In the meantime, we must remind them of the decisions the ANC has made. “The CNE, at its last meeting, made the decision to invoke a rule of our constitution to take formal action against Jacob Zuma and that led to its action being suspended,” he said.

Attempts to reach Zuma and MK for comment were unsuccessful, but in comments to the SABC, MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said that despite the cancellation, they will continue with their plan to meet outside Luthuli House.

“We will be there as far as we are concerned. You know, we’re there by invitation. The ANC invited us and they knew very well that wherever former president Jacob Zuma is, we will be there to support him. So for them to also refer to some kind of provocation, the mere fact that they can request the presence of the former president at Luthuli House for their DC kangaroo court before the elections is absurd.

“So, they brought it on themselves and our president, as the person who is not a coward, will definitely be there and in person. So that’s where we are,” he told the public broadcaster.

Read more at Daily Maverick: ANC National Disciplinary Committee summons Zuma over support for MK party

In January, the ANC suspended zuma for “actively impugning the integrity of the ANC” through campaigns to dislodge the organization from power. The decision to suspend Zuma was made unanimously by the ANC’s National Executive Committee.

This was after Zuma left the ANC for the MK party in December 2023.

When announcing your support For him mk partyZuma accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of being an agent of “white monopoly capital” and being against the progress of black professionals and intellectuals.

“I cannot, and will not, campaign for Ramaphosa’s ANC,” he said.

The ANC went to court to challenge the MK party’s registration and its use of the name of its disbanded military wing, but was unsuccessful in both cases.DM