ANC sets date for Zuma’s disciplinary hearing

Former ANC president Jacob Zuma has been summoned to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee on 7 May, with a possible expulsion on the way.

The ANC has called Zuma to appear before the committee at its headquarters at Luthuli House at 10am.

Zuma stunned ANC leaders in December when he announced that he would endorse the umkhonto wesizwe (MK) party in the build-up to the elections.

The former president has been at odds with his successor, Cyril Ramaphosa, even laying charges against him through a private prosecution.

Zuma has been campaigning for the MK party over the past few months.

A recent poll by Ipsos has predicted that the MK party will probably eat away at the ANC’S voter share, getting 8% of the vote. The Social Research Foundation predicted that the MK party could unseat the Economic Freedom Fighters as the third-largest party after the ANC and the Democratic Alliance.

In the ANC charge sheet, seen by the Mail & Guardian and signed by the ruling party’s chief national presenter Uriel Abrahamse, Zuma is charged with two counts of contravening the ANC’S constitution.

“On 16th December, 2023 you addressed the Umkhonto wesizwe party in Soweto and you called on all South Africans to join you in dislodging the ANC as the ruling party,” the charge sheet states.

“[For] that you are guilty of contravening Rule 25.17.13 of the ANC constitution, which reads: ‘joining or supporting a political organisation or party, other than [one] in alliance with the ANC, in a manner contrary to the aims, objectives and policy of the ANC’.”

Zuma is also charged with contravening the ANC’S rules by appearing on the MK party’s election list for public representatives.

“Should you not appear at the venue on the date and time determined for the hearing or not avail yourself if the hearing will be conducted virtually, or remain in attendance when required to do so by the chairperson of the national disciplinary committee, the chairperson, if satisfied that you were timeously notified of such venue, date and time or details of virtual hearing, may order that the proceedings continue in your absence,” the charge sheet says.

MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said Zuma would attend the disciplinary hearing.

“President Zuma is not a coward, he will hundred percent be attending the hearing,” Ndhela said, adding however that the veteran politician’s attendance did not mean that he wanted to remain part of the ANC.

Ndhlela said Zuma had previously stated that he did not want to be part of the ANC under Ramaphosa’s leadership. The MK party spokesperson added that even if Ramaphosa was removed, Zuma would not want to be part of the ruling party.

He said the ANC should have taken former party president Thabo Mbeki’s advice and summoned Zuma after the 29 May elections.

Addressing recent speculation about Zuma’s wellbeing, Ndhlela said the former president was healthy.