By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) held its virtual disciplinary hearing against former President, Jacob Zuma on Tuesday.
The matter was postponed last week after the former President insisted that the disciplinary be held in person.
Zuma faces two charges, both of which relate to the MK party, for which he announced he would campaign in December 2023, five months before the 29 May general elections.
The first charge is contravening rule 25.17.17.4 of the ANC’s constitution, by acting “on behalf of or in collaboration with a political organisation or party other than an organisation or party in the alliance of the ANC in a manner contrary to the aims, policies and objectives of the ANC”.
The second charge is that Zuma contravened rule 25.17.13 for “joining or supporting a political organisation or party other than an organisation in alliance with the ANC, in a manner contrary to the aims, objectives and policy of the ANC”.
Last week, Zuma was a no-show at the first virtual meeting. Instead, he sent his ally, Tony Yengeni, to represent him and persuade the NDC to have the hearing in-person, a demand the ANC vehemently rejected.
MK party in Gauteng had planned to bus its supporters to Luthuli House but did an about-turn on Monday afternoon.
The small group went ahead and gathered to protest and chant “Wenzeni uZuma”, loosely translated as “What has Zuma done wrong?” It proved a popular refrain as they made their way to Beyers Naude Square in Johannesburg after being chased away from Luthuli House by the police.
During the proceedings, Zuma’s representative Yengeni said, he walked out because there were technical glitches after ANC insisted on holding DC virtually.
Yengeni said the NDC went ahead with Disciplinary Hearing without him nor Zuma.
He questioned the integrity of the disciplinary committee, implying that it might be facing external pressures.
The NDC is expected to hold another meeting in the coming days to decide on Zuma’s fate.
The ANC suspended Zuma in January for actively impugning the integrity of the party by campaigning to dislodge it from power. The decision to suspend him was made unanimously by the party’s National Executive Committee.
This was after Zuma’s public announcement that he would no longer vote nor campaign for the ANC led by Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he accused of being against the progress of black South Africans.
The NDC has the jurisdiction to expel from the ANC any member who they find is in contravention of rule 25 of the party’s constitution. It may impose penalties or sanctions for “proven violations of the constitution, other relevant instruments, principles, norms, policies and decisions of the ANC”.
Should Zuma be expelled or sanctioned following the hearing, he will have up to 14 days to contest the findings with the party’s National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal.
Should the NDC expel Zuma, he will be the first former president to be expelled from the party. In June 2023, his ally, former secretary-general Ace Magashule, became the first SG to be expelled from the party.