WATCH | Ramaphosa stands firm on ANC’s expulsion of Zuma, calls process ‘done and dusted’

Ramaphosa

Cape Town – ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that all due processes were followed in the expulsion of former president Jacob Zuma.

Zuma was removed from the party after forming the uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK).

Despite this, he sent a letter on 8 January demanding his reinstatement, threatening legal action if not addressed by 31 January 2025.

“Failure to comply on or before January 31 will result in our client taking all the legal steps necessary to vindicate, inter alia, his violated rights in respect of all the afore going issues, without any further notice to the ANC.

“Such steps may entail approaching the courts for appropriate relief, including seeking an order for the immediate reinstatement of President Zuma’s membership of the ANC, and punitive costs,” the letter read.

Ramaphosa said that he had not seen the letter but emphasised that the disciplinary processes were conducted properly.

“Disciplinary processes in the ANC have been conducted, done and dusted. So, I have not seen the letter but all I can say is that we’ve followed due process and the secretary general (Fikile Mbalula) has been absolutely proper and correct in the way that he has led the interpretation and execution of our constitution.

“So, we will read the letter as we should and we will also take a view of the letter, but the disciplinary processes have been done in accordance with our constitution,” Ramaphosa said while speaking to journalists outside the Dulcie September Civic Centre in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Earlier on, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula criticised Zuma for his actions, calling him a “liar” and accusing him of seeking disunity for personal gain.

“Well, Zuma’s letter is mischievous… because he was engaged by the organisation as various levels. And in terms of the ANC constitution, we have acted on Zuma. He is not a member. And we are not going to respond to any other thing because it seeks to divert us from this occasion of our 113th year.

“He had an opportunity to send his love letter many days ago. He didn’t, but he chose this day. That’s how he works, that’s how he operates. Mischievous, uncouth, ridiculous old man who basically thrives on disunity for his own self-interest. That’s what he does. He doesn’t serve South Africa, he doesn’t serve the ANC, he doesn’t serve our people. He serves himself and only himself. That’s what he is,” Mbalula said.

He added: “His days of misleading our people are numbered because they will see him for who he is, right from that [political party] he has created, they will see.  He’s a liar, he’s unreliable, he only serves himself. He’s not a friend to anybody but he’s a friend to himself. The ANC will treat him with the same intensity of who he is going forward.”

Mbalula dared Zuma to take the ANC to court.

“There’s nothing to respond to that letter. He must take us to court, he must do whatever he thinks is of importance to himself. We know his shenanigans, we knew his game plan. We have followed the constitution to the letter. We’ll defend the integrity of our movement.”

The ANC severed ties with Zuma in July 2024 after a disciplinary hearing.

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