Former president Jacob Zuma. Picture: Michele Spatari/POOL/AFP
African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula has taken a swipe at former President Jacob Zuma saying the governing party defended him for the upgrades to his Nkandla home, yet Zuma cannot “stand President Cyril Ramaphosa.”
Mbalula was addressing ANC members at the Cadres Forum at Mjindi Town Hall in Barberton on Sunday.
While Mbalula said the ANC is not going to subject Zuma to a disciplinary hearing, he said the party defended the former president during the controversial Nkandla upgrades.
“We defended Former President Zuma, we even went to Parliament and said a swimming Pool is a fire Pool, The Constitutional Court led by Mogoeng Mogoeng released a judgement against Jacob Zuma but the ANC stood by him, today Zuma says he can’t stand President Cyril Ramaphosa.”
Mbaula said people lost careers because of that issue, because it is “difficult to defend lies” – and that the matter went to the Constitutional Court where a judgement was made that Zuma, was unfit to hold office.
“People have lost their careers because of that thing,” Mbalula said.
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Mbalula added that if Zuma had issues with the leadership of the ANC he could have properly addressed them through the right channels within the ruling party.
“The ANC didn’t expel Jacob Zuma. He has expelled himself and his interpretation that he is still a member till he dies and is not leaving is his own interpretation. You want to be happy both sides, it doesn’t work like that.
“We are disappointed but we are not surprised. We didn’t want him to go, we didn’t want him to go in the party we are shocked but not surprised when a former president of the ANC takes such a decision,” Mblula said.
Mbalula said the ANC will approach the courts on Monday in an attempt to reclaim the uMkhonto weSizwe name (MK).
In 2016, the Constitutional Court found Zuma violated his oath of office when he failed to comply with former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s remedial actions on Nkandla.
Parliament was also found to have failed in its constitutional duties to hold Zuma to account.
On Saturday, Mbalula said the governing party has no personal agenda against Zuma and is not threatened by his endorsement of the newly formed MK party.
“Our constitution is very clear, there is no two parties. There is no party called MK existing in our name through somebody who wants to be a saviour of the party or a messiah. There is no such a thing.
Zuma announced last month that he would support the MK party ahead of the 2024 general elections because the ANC has strayed from its core values.
The former president has been on a campaign trail for the newly formed MK party, which has been seen by many as a breakaway faction of the ANC.
Analysts have labelled Zuma’s move a blow for the ANC, and its Veterans League said it amounted to “treason and treachery”. It called for “strong action” to be taken against the former president.
Despite his vocal support for the MK Party, Zuma is still a member of the ANC and the governing party’s constitution prohibits any member from campaigning for another political organisation.
ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘ANC not threatened by Zuma’s endorsement of MK, NEC will deal with it’ – Mbalula
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