By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former African National Congress (ANC) president Thabo Mbeki has welcomed the party’ decision to summon his successor Jacob Zuma to a disciplinary hearing over his endorsement of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
Zuma has been requested to appear before the ANC’s disciplinary committee on Tuesday at Luthuli House, the ANC’s headquarters in Johannesburg.
He was suspended in January for violating rule 25.60 of the ANC’s constitution after he publicly announced on December 16 that he would not vote or campaign for the ruling party, but instead endorse the MK Party in the 2024 polls.
Mbeki addressed the party’s campaign trail in Soshanguve, North of Pretoria on Friday. He was in high spirits while campaigning.
“It’s an important statement. “People think I’m old but actually, I’m in the youth league. That’s why I’m wearing a youth league shirt and I’m very young.”.
During his campaign, he visited three homes of ANC stalwarts in the area as part of his campaign.
Among the stalwarts were the houses of Mme Angie Mlilwane, Mme Elizabeth Matsimela as well as Tlou Cholo.
Mbeki said summoning Zuma to a disciplinary hearing is in line with adhering to the party’s constitution.
He said Zuma’s endorsement of MK Party was a sign of ill-discipline to the ANC.
“Clearly, he committed what would be an act of ill-discipline that he should then appear before the disciplinary committee. I think that is correct,” he said.
The “defiant” Zuma is now the leader and face of the MK Party.
Meanwhile Zuma wants six Constitutional Court judges to recuse themselves from his legal battle with the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), citing potential bias.
This comes after the IEC took to the apex court to challenge Zuma’s candidacy in the May 29 elections.
Last month – the Electoral Court ruled that Zuma could run for public office, overturning the IEC’s decision to disqualify him from serving as a member of Parliament.
The uMkhonto weSizwe leader, Zuma, has filed a counter application to the Constitutional Court.
Zuma said, he and the party have reasonable apprehension that a minimum of six justices of the Constitutional Court are not fit to adjudicate the matter between him and the IEC.
They include justices Mbuyiseli Madlanga, Steven Majiedt, Nonkosi Mhlantla, Leona Theron and Zukisa Tshiqi.
He added there’s a conflict of interest because they were a part of the bench that convicted him and sentenced him to 15 months for contempt of court, for failing to appear before the state capture commission.
Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is listed as the sixth to recuse himself – even though Zuma admits Zondo publicly announced he wouldn’t sit in cases involving Zuma.
The court needs a quorum of 8 from its 11 judges to preside over a matter.
This means – if recused – the Constitutional Court can’t decide on the merits of the case on 10 May, almost three weeks before the elections.