FORMER president Jacob Zuma has spoken out about his suspension.
His suspension from the African National Congress (ANC), a party that he served for a lifetime came after he endorsed the newly formed political party, uMkhonto WeSizwe (MK).
His spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela told Daily Sun on Thursday, 1 February that Zuma has received a letter informing him about his suspension from the ANC and has not yet taken a decision about it.
“He is consulting his attorneys and applying his mind,” he said.
Ndhlela declined to comment whether the former statesman would challenge his suspension either within the party structures or in the courts.
The ruling party’s national executive committee (NEC) deliberated on Zuma’s conduct since the formation of MK during its three-day meeting, 26, 28 and 29 January, at Birchwood Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni and resolved that he violated his oath of membership and the constitution of the ANC.
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told the media on Monday, 29 January that the NEC found that exceptional circumstances existed to revoke Zuma’s membership.
“The NEC concluded that exceptional circumstances exist to warrant an immediate decision to suspend former ANC president Jacob Zuma in line with rule 25.60 of the ANC constitution,” he said.
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The rule states that if justifiable circumstances exist, without eliciting a comment form a member, the NEC and national working committees of the ANC may summarily suspend a member.
Mbalula said a number of proposals were put forward but the suspension was the preferred decision.
Among the reasons the ANC decided to put Zuma on ice was his announcement on 16 December 2023 at the Ipelegeng Centre in Soweto that he will not vote for the ANC in 2024 elections.
"I have decided I cannot and will not campaign for the ANC of Ramaphosa in 2024. My conscience will not allow me to lie to the people of South Africa and to pretend that the ANC of Ramaphosa is the ANC of Luthuli, Tambo and Mandela."
He further stated that he will vote MK.
“I therefore wish to announce that in 2024, I will vote for uMkhonto WeSizwe party. It has already been registered with the IEC with my knowledge and blessings, in response to various pleas expressed to me by some religious leaders,” said Zuma.
He was the president of the ANC from 2007 to 2017.
Zuma was elected president of Mzansi in the 2009 and was recalled in 2018.
