Cape Town — ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula believes that former president Jacob Zuma’s actions cannot be excused, claiming the former president has expelled himself from the ruling party.
Zuma drew criticism from many members of the ANC when he publicly declared he will not be campaigning for the ANC in the 2024 general elections, instead choosing to side with the new uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party.
Mbalula, over the weekend, addressed ANC members in Barberton at the Cadres’ Forum Meeting where he said the ANC would not be subjecting Zuma to a disciplinary hearing, and that if Zuma had any issues with the party, he should have addressed them through the right channels within the organisation, SABC News reported.
“The ANC didn’t expel Jacob Zuma. He has expelled himself and his interpretation that he is still a member till he dies and is not leaving is his own interpretation. You want to be happy both sides, it doesn’t work like that. We are disappointed but we are not surprised. We didn’t want him to go, we didn’t want him to go in the party we are shocked but not surprised when a former president of the ANC takes such a decision,” Mbalula said.
“We defended Former President Zuma, we even went to Parliament and said a swimming Pool is a fire Pool, The Constitutional Court led by Mogoeng Mogoeng released a judgement against Jacob Zuma but the ANC stood by him, today Zuma says he can’t stand President Cyril Ramaphosa” ANC… pic.twitter.com/IeWnYUGx0P
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) January 7, 2024
Mbalula said that the ANC would respond to Zuma’s membership status in due course, IOL reported.
“We will not respond to the matter in snippets. We will at a later point give a comprehensive response, guided by the constitution of the ANC,“ he said
Mbalula said the governing party has no personal agenda against him and is not threatened by his endorsement of the newly formed MK party, The Citizen reported.
“Our constitution is very clear, there is no two parties. There is no party called MK existing in our name through somebody who wants to be a saviour of the party or a messiah. There is no such a thing.”
Zuma has been called out for treason and treachery by some members of the ANC’s Veteran’s League, calling for strong action to be taken against the former president, who remains a member of the ANC still.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
