Zuma is out to ‘kill’ the ANC – experts

Former president Jacob Zuma’s demand to be reinstated as an ANC member is aimed at destabilising his former party that is at its weakest point.

This is the view of experts who said Zuma’s aim was to destabilise the ANC which is at its weakest due to political differences over the government of national unity (GNU).

They added that he was on a mission to reinforce his old narrative that he was a victim of ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership.

Zuma on mission to reinforce ‘victim’ narrative

Zuma said yesterday that his attorneys had sent a letter of demand to the ANC requesting the reinstatement of his membership which he claimed was unprocedurally terminated late last year.

He gave the ANC until 31 January to address the matter or he would “explore legal remedies to protect his constitutional and contractual rights” as a loyal ANC member for 65 years.

Zuma was charged for putting the party into disrepute after he launched uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party last year, a move that violated the ANC constitution on dual membership. He appealed the decision but lost the appeal.

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In a statement issued by the Jacob G Zuma Foundation, he accused ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula of making “troubling announcements” and actions to intimidate, victimise and insult his representative, Tony Yengeni, a senior ANC member.

This after Mbalula announced this week that Yengeni would be charged for putting the party into disrepute when he criticised it for organising its 113th birthday anniversary in a small venue in Cape Town.

According to director of the centre for peace, security and conflict resolution at Nelson Mandela University, Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast, Zuma’s demand to be reinstated made no sense since he was president of another political party.

Demand makes no sense

“He established another party of which he is called president. What business does he have with his previous party except that he is sowing discord in the ANC by once more making himself appear as a victim. His argument can only be advocated by a very mischievous person,” he said.

“It is difficult to understand the real issue behind Zuma’s move except the fact that it is tied to his usual attempt to appear as a victim. His attempt to hold dual memberships of MK and the ANC is contradictory and illogical.”

A similar view was held by independent political analyst, Prof George Tsibani, from the University of Johannesburg, who said Zuma had no chance of being welcome to the ANC.

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“It’s a big no because the ANC constitution does not allow a member to be part of another political party except for a political alliance,” Tsibani said.

He said Zuma had no case because the ANC allowed dual membership only to those who are members of its alliance partners such as the SA Communist Party, Cosatu and the South African National Civic Organisation.

Political commentator Pule Monama said Zuma’s aim of establishing MK was to get back into the ANC and control the party but knew there would be consequences for his action.

Consequences for his actions

“The question that needs to be asked from MK members is whether they knew what Jacob Zuma was up to when he started MK? Do they know what he was building with this MK of his? I’m sure they don’t,” Monama said.

He said even if Zuma was to be reinstated, he had to account to the MK membership he recruited including those who joined because of their disgruntlement with the ANC.

“Zuma has his own mind, he wants to take control of the ANC,” Monama said.

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