ANC TO BLAME FOR ZUMA SAGA

THE ANC’s long overdue decision to suspend its former president Jacob Zuma’s membership sets the stage for what could be a bruising election campaign for the governing party ahead of this year’s crucial election.

Judging by the party’s secretary general Fikile Mbalula’s remarks that they are “prepared to defend” the National Democratic Revolution, the organisation is aware that the Zuma question will not go away by just suspending his membership.

The decision to only haul him before a disciplinary hearing after the elections also suggests that the party is wary of the implications of terminating his membership. Zuma’s support, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, where he hails from, cannot be overlooked. One just has to look at the crowds attending the rallies of the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

That is why the leadership of that province was the most affected, and perhaps felt betrayed when he refused to declare his support and campaign for the “ANC of Ramaphosa”, but instead chose to throw his weight behind the MK Party.

“His actions reinforce the work of the primarily right-wing opponents of the National Democratic Revolution. In this regard, in assuming this reactionary public posture, former president Zuma is actively asserting himself as the figurehead of counter-revolution in South Africa today.

“Former president Jacob Zuma is actively impugning the integrity of the ANC and campaigning to dislodge the ANC from power, while claiming that he has not terminated his membership. This conduct is irreconcilable with the spirit of organisational discipline and letter of the ANC constitution,” Mbalula boldly told the media when announcing the suspension.

How effective Zuma’s suspension will be is another question.

Some may argue that the delay in arriving at that decision may have cost the ANC potential votes, especially Mbalula’s remarks that they lied to shield Zuma from accountability when his Nkandla woes were mounting.

Those statements tainted the little that is left of the ANC’s public image and Zuma knows this very well.

The ANC has itself to blame for the way Zuma is showing it the middle finger. It was prepared to bend the rules for him; now he has come back to haunt it.

The prospect of it being ‘punished’ by voters at the polls looms large.