WATCH: ANC ‘ready to defend itself’ if Zuma goes to court

The African National Congress (ANC) says it is prepared for possible legal action from former President Jacob Zuma following the governing party’s decision to suspend him.

The ANC’s 87-member NEC suspended Zuma on Monday, labelling him a “counter-revolutionary” and a “reactionary,” likening the former president to rebel leaders Jonas Savimbi of Unita in Angola and Afonso Dhlakama of Renamo in Mozambique.

Watch the annoucement on the suspension for Zuma

Legal action

Speaking to journalists at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on Monday, where the party held its NEC meeting and is currently gathered for its lekgotla, secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the ANC knew the potential for insinuations of violence from the “outside rhetoric” was there.

“Can Zuma go to court? It’s possible. Tomorrow we can wake up with papers; it’s possible. The ANC should be ready to defend itself at all times against anyone who want to challenge ANC NEC decisions or ANC decisions, we will be ready to do that.

“So, it is very much possible that we can meet a court case that is challenging our decisions,” Mbalula said.

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Mbalula added Zuma would be duly informed about the ANC NEC’s decision to suspend him.

“It’s being processed. How somebody reacts to that, it is their own call in relation to how he will react to it.”

ANC responsibility

Asked if Zuma was indispensable and whether the ANC takes responsibility for this actions, Mbalula said:  “He [Zuma] was a member of the ANC. When he was president we worked with him as our president until the end, until we were in no position to proceed and he was duly recalled by the party. So, the ANC might have taken time, but at the end acted on the matter when it had to do so.”

Mbalula said the decision to suspend Zuma was unanimous decision and there was no dissent on this decision of the national executive committee

“It was not a contentious discussion, and [it wasn’t] tense because he has made up his mind, and it is clear to all activists and comrades alike, including those who loved and aligned with him in the NEC.

“It is [apparent] that the old man, [former] president Zuma politically and otherwise, he’s been erratic in this because what he has done is he has abandoned the course and opened us to danger for those who are grazing in our field,” Mbalula said.

Zuma suspension

The suspension of Zuma’s membership comes more than a month since Zuma announced he would not vote or campaign for the ANC.

Zuma announced that he would support the Umkhonto weSizwe party (MK) party ahead of the 2024 general elections because the ANC has strayed from its core

Analysts labelled Zuma’s move a blow for the ANC, and its Veterans League said it amounted to “treason and treachery”

Zuma’s membership will remain suspended until the finalisation of disciplinary proceedings, including reviews with Mbalula saying the permanent expulsion of Zuma from the ANC has not been taken yet.

The former president is yet to respond to his suspension.

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