NEC to discuss Mbalula’s Nkandla fire pool comment

The ANC national executive committee (NEC) is expected to discuss the conduct of party secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who said at a party gathering ANC MPs lied to parliament about Nkandla’s facilities to protect then leader Jacob Zuma.

Mbalula told ANC supporters in Mpumalanga at the weekend the MPs lied when they defended the building of a swimming pool at Zuma’s homestead by saying that it was a fire pool.

Mbalula’s comments angered several NEC members, including national chair Gwede Mantashe, who said he does not understand why Mbalula would open “old wounds”.

Other NEC members TimesLIVE spoke to said Mbalula’s remark may jeopardise ANC MPs who were part of the ad hoc committee on Nkandla in that they could be hauled over the coals for perjury.

Three NEC sources said Mbalula’s insistence on making media comments goes against his role as defined by the ANC constitution and communications protocol.

According to the sources, Mbalula is meant to only communicate decisions of the NEC and the national working committee (NWC).

While the NEC meeting on Thursday evening was called to finalise the January 8 statement that will be delivered by party president Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday, there are NEC members who are expected to raise the issue of former president Jacob Zuma and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

The meeting is likely to also discuss whether Zuma should be expelled. This, according to NEC sources, is because Mbalula has opened a can of worms while there was a decision that the Zuma matter would be entertained only after the January 8 celebrations.

A tentative date of January 20 has been set for an extended NEC meeting at which Zuma and the MK party will be discussed extensively.

But due to Mbalula’s remarks as well as responses by Mantashe and former police minister Nathi Nhleko, the feeling exists among some NEC members that they might as well bring up the matter.

[IT] MAY JEOPARDISE ANC MPS [ON] THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON NKANDLA ... THEY COULD BE HAULED OVER THE COALS FOR PERJURY