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The African National Congress (ANC) NEC virtual meeting enters its second day on Sunday. Discussions are expected to focus on the former President Jacob Zuma’s refusal to cooperate with the State Capture Commission, guidelines regarding when members charged with corruption should step aside, the country’s economic recovery, as well as preparations for the local government elections.
The Commission had lodged an urgent application to force Zuma to appear before it and respond to allegations levelled against him by more than 30 witnesses. This after the former President and his legal team walked out of the Inquiry when the Commission’s Chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, refused to recuse himself.
The former President said in a statement that he will not cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, adding that he does not fear being arrested.
He claimed the court has been politicised.
Speaking to SABC this week on Zuma’s decision, ANC KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli called for the party’s leadership to intervene.
“We must not really rush to call for DC and all of those things lets rather appeal to the national officials to rise to the occasion engage with the former president and seek to persuade him to understand that he may have the courage and bravery to serve another term of imprisonment but that must not happen at the expense of the movement.”
ANC KwaZulu-Natal speaks on Zuma’s Concourt ruling defiance:
“Step aside” guidelines
Kicked off on Saturday, discussions are heated at the ANC’s NEC meeting as the party’s top leadership grapples with the “step aside” guidelines that have been tabled.
At the ANC’s 54th National Conference at Nasrec in 2017, the party resolved that those charged with serious offences should step aside. Thereafter, the party sought a number of legal opinions on the legality of the resolution.
The guidelines that are being debated have been drafted by a number of party elders including former deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, former treasurer-general Mathews Phosa and current treasurer-general Paul Mashatile.
Some within the party have warned that the so-called “step aside” resolution is being used in factional battles to deal with political opponents, a claim political analyst Levy Ndou does not buy.
Step aside resolution guidelines for members charged with corruption top agenda:
