ANC postpones NEC meeting amid uncertainty in Nkandla

The African National Congress (ANC) has postponed its scheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for the weekend amid developments of the situation outside former President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

This was announced by the party’s spokesperson Pule Mabe on Friday as scores of the former president’s supporters continue to flock in Nkandla to stand in solidarity with Zuma.

ALSO READ: Jacob Zuma: A politician with an overactive martyr complex

Zuma was earlier this week sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of the Constitutional Court.

“The meeting of the National Executive Committee scheduled for Saturday, 3 – Monday, 5 July 2021 has been postponed,” said Mabe.

“In arriving at this decision the National Officials were mindful of the situation developing in KwaZulu-Natal and the need for ANC to give clear and principled leadership to ensure the maintenance of the rule of law and to avoid any violence, injury, or loss of life.”

Mabe said that the NEC members will be deployed to KZN, and will work with the provincial leadership.

The ANC earlier this week announced that the sentencing of former president Jacob Zuma to 15 months in prison marked a difficult time for the party.

ALSO READ: Zuma to appeal unappealable prison sentence – report

The party has also pleaded for calm.

In KZN, ANC KZN provincial chairperson and KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala said the ruling has far-reaching consequences.

In a statement, the party says it was still studying the judgment.

“Without a doubt, this is a difficult period in the movement and we call upon our members to remain calm. The meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) scheduled to take place this weekend, will reflect on the implications and consequences of the judgement.

“We further reaffirm our commitment to upholding the rule of law and fulfilling the aspirations of our constitutional democracy,” reads the statement.