Zuma’s Zondo fight could hurt the ANC even more

While the ANC on Tuesday simply shrugged off as “normal” the tension between former president Jacob Zuma and Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, political analysts have warned that Zuma calling on Zondo to recuse himself as Commission of Inquiry into State Capture chairperson could further polarise the ANC.

Alleging that Zondo was biased and harbouring a personal vendetta against him, stemming from “a historical personal, family and professional relations that ought to have been publicly disclosed”, Zuma has taken an unprecedented move to push for Zondo’s recusal.

Zuma’s letter followed Zondo’s recent warning during a media briefing that the embattled former president “must appear” before the commission from November 16 to 20, to respond to allegations of state capture.

From sickness to supposedly preparing for the arms deal case, Zuma’s litany of reasons to evade the commission lead to Zondo refusing any further negotiations regarding dates for his appearance.

Commenting on the spat, ANC spokesperson Dakota Legoete described  the Zuma-Zondo tension as “normal”.

“I think he (Zuma) is exercising his individual right. The former president feels that there is a problem of bias at the commission, sparked by being reprimanded through a press briefing, which he feels is uncalled for.

“Remember that he did not refuse to appear before the commission where he has appeared before. The ANC position on the commission is still consistent, in that we will continue to cooperate with the inquiry and supporting its work,” said Legoete.

Independent political analysts, Dr Ralph Mathekga and Daniel Silke, however, said the standoff was likely to fuel more divisions in the ANC.

Mathekga said: “The letter to Zondo will further divide the party along already defined factional lines. Factionalism has continued to preoccupy the party, instead of focusing on real challenges such as corruption and the economy.

“This is an exercise that will not help the party in any way. It will compound problems that are already there, such as factional divisions.

“The ANC is too divided to effectively address the problem of internal divisions, because party internal structures are too compromised to help in healing the rift.”

Concurring with Mathekga, Silke said: “For the ANC, the negative on the Zuma matter is that this perpetuates the unease that continues to fuel factionalism that already exists. The longer Zuma is not effectively dealt with by the courts, the more this will continue to lead to unease and factionalism with the ANC.”

Silke said Zuma was “a worried and nervous man who has gone on a tangent” in responding to his many legal woes.

“I don’t know what personal issues he is referring to in his letter to Zondo. He is very nervous and worried about the potential of the Zondo commission tainting him further in state capture. He has gone on a tangent and trying everything possible.

“This is another attempt on behalf of Zuma to further delay the possible implication of him in state capture. All that he is doing is trying to avoid testifying – once again delaying the process.

“Up until now, this has been a continuation of his old plan, which has been to obfuscate – part of the Stalingrad strategy he has succeeded in so far.

“The use of personal issues to try and get Zondo recused, indicates that he his now playing his last card on the issue of avoiding appearing before the commission,” said Silke.

brians@citizen.co.za

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.