ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sunday World / Tsheko Kabasia)
Former president Jacob Zuma “destroyed” the African National Congress (ANC), and his expulsion did not come before time, the ANC Veterans League said.
This comes after the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) resolved to expel him from the party following a disciplinary hearing held on 23 July in his absence.
Zuma did not attend his disciplinary hearing, insisting on an in-person session, as opposed to the party’s virtual hearing.
In a briefing on Monday, the party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, announced Zuma’s expulsion.
Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala said Zuma stole the ANC’s legacy and heritage by allowing state entities to be captured by the Guptas.
“We will [now] allow him to do what he wants, and then let him allow us to rebuild the ANC, which he has destroyed,” Zikalala told broadcaster eNCA.
“And so, we will rebuild the ANC from the ashes. He has destroyed it through state capture; he was fully involved in state capture, and state capture deprived our people of quality service, of quality healthcare, of jobs, of industrialisation of the country, and he is the one who did it.”
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The Veterans League president said the party was glad Zuma was out of their hair and they would make sure those implicated in state capture would be dealt with harshly by the law.
“And with him as well, with Jacob Zuma, because he still has to answer on state capture. He still has to answer.”
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party leader was found guilty of contravening Rule 25.17.17.4 of the ANC constitution, “read with subsection (2) for prejudicing the integrity or repute of the organisation by acting in collaboration with a registered political party, to wit the uMkhonto weSizwe Party, which is not in alliance with the ANC, in a manner contrary to the aims, policies and objectives of the party,” Mbalula said in Monday’s briefing.
On 16 December 2023, Zuma went against his party’s constitution and announced that he would not be campaigning for the party ahead of the 2024 elections.
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“It would be a betrayal to campaign for the ANC under Ramaphosa,” he said in a media briefing.
He further stated that he would not be voting for the ANC but for the registered uMkhonto weSizwe Party.
Additional reporting by Vhahangwele Nemakonde.
