Zuma’s wish is ‘to go the grave as an ANC member’ – Zuma Foundation [VIDEO]

The Jacob Zuma Foundation said the former president has been with the African National Congress (ANC) for 65 years and “is not about to give up his membership” despite being expelled from the party.

On Friday, the ANC’s national disciplinary committee rejected Jacob Zuma’s appeal against his expulsion.

The decision to expel the former president follows the ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeal’s decision upholding his earlier expulsion for endorsing and leading the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.

Watch Mzwanele Manyi speaking about Jacob Zuma’s expulsion from the ANC

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‘Zuma still ANC member’

The Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson Mzawanele Manyi said Zuma maintains that he still a member of the ANC.

“His excellency president Zuma has been with the African National Congress no less than 65 years and his not about to give up that membership of the ANC. For us as a foundation, we respect president Zuma’s wish to go to the grave as an ANC member,” Manyi said.

“We note the Ramaphosa ANC, all of us we do not recognise it as the ANC, that thing is the shadow of the real ANC. When his excellency President Zuma talks about the ANC, he talks of the ANC of [Oliver] Tambo, something this coalition partner of the DA is not.

“President Zuma needs an opportunity to address the nation to say that the ANC many people died for, many people went into exile for, went to jail for more than ten years on Robben Island is what the Ramaphosa ANC has deviated from,” Manyi said.

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‘ANC decision bizarre’

Manyi said it is “quite bizarre” for the ANC to take three weeks to announce a “predetermined decision” to expel the former president from the party.

“H.E. President Zuma strongly rejects the notion that the ANC under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa has the authority to expel him from the movement to which he has dedicated his life.”

Manyi said the battle between Zuma and the ANC is “not over yet.”

Zuma to address nation

He said Zuma will be consulting his legal team, his ANC branch in Nkandla, his region and province on the way forward regarding the “reckless decision” by the ANC to expel him.

“In that process of political consultation, a view would be taken whether this must go to the highest decision making structure of the ANC. As we know that all these structures that are taking all these kinds of decisions, including the NEC, are all sort of interim kind of decisions, Manyi said.

“A  final decision maker on anything in the ANC is the conference. So whether the structures will advise him to do that is yet to be seen. But, on the other hand, because of another option to consult the legal team to check whether they can deal with this matter in the courts.

“Once all those consultations have unfolded, his excellency President Zuma will do a national address and talk to the nation as to which way he is going to go,” Manyi said.

‘Zuma undermined ANC’

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri on Friday said  Zuma’s “behaviour exemplifies the highest form of ill-discipline and a direct assault on the historical mission of the ANC.”

Bhengu-Motsiri said Zuma’s actions “have undermined” the unity and cohesion of the ANC at a time when it is critical to consolidate and push forward with organisational renewal and confront the pressing challenges facing South Africa.

The ANC officially cut ties with the MK party leader in July after the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) resolved to expel him following a disciplinary hearing held on 23 July in his absence.

The ANC accused Zuma of contravening rule 25 of the party’s constitution by forming the MKparty in December last year.

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