Former President Jacob Zuma’s branch in Nkandla has defended its decision to nominate him for the position of ANC national chairperson.
Some people feel Zuma is too old to return to active politics.
However, representatives of his ANC branch believe he is a suitable candidate because he has already served in government and no longer has ambitions for deployment.
On Friday, the Department of Correctional Services released Zuma from correction supervision.
Some people say his release paves the way for him to attend the closely contested ANC national conference in December.
Chairperson of the ANC Msholozi branch, Bonguthando Mbambo in Nkandla believes Zuma can still play a role in the ANC.
“The reason why we nominated him is because we believe, the ANC in (its state), the only person whom we believe can rescue or resuscitate the ANC is Jacob Zuma. I think the issue of age is neither here nor there. But we believe that any organisation needs what we call institutional memory and we think the former president has that to help guide the ANC.”
Zuma free after a 15-month sentence ends:
Former President Jacob Zuma’s branch in Nkandla has defended its decision to nominate him for the position of ANC national chairperson.
Some people feel Zuma is too old to return to active politics.
However, representatives of his ANC branch believe he is a suitable candidate because he has already served in government and no longer has ambitions for deployment.
On Friday, the Department of Correctional Services released Zuma from correction supervision.
Some people say his release paves the way for him to attend the closely contested ANC national conference in December.
Chairperson of the ANC Msholozi branch, Bonguthando Mbambo in Nkandla believes Zuma can still play a role in the ANC.
“The reason why we nominated him is because we believe the ANC in (state) and the only person whom we believe can rescue or resuscitate the ANC is Jacob Zuma. I think the issue of age is neither here nor there. But we believe that any oranisation needs what we call institutional memory and we think former president has that to help guide the ANC.”
Zuma was arrested last year in July for defying the Constitutional Court order for him to appear before the State Capture Commission. The former president only served two months of his 15-months jail term as he was released on medical parole.
Villagers near Zuma’s Nkandla homestead have described his release from correctional services as a relief.
“We are very excited as he is free after he was arrested. As the people of KwaNxamalala, we are very happy as Zuma is an old man, and putting him in prison at such old age was not right,” says one resident.
Zuma’s son Edward says the family is relieved that a former president is a free man again. He says though Zuma was at home on medical parole, but he could not move freely as he had to get permission from the Department of Correction Services before he could leave his home.
“I am going to be buying a very beautiful sheep which he must enjoy. We will slaughter and he must enjoy that sheep. I might have not seen him as yet, but I can imagine his enjoyment. I can imagine he is so very happy that his family can attest this is a man we knew before he was falsely incarcerated.”
Zuma may not be off the hook yet:
As Zuma enters the party’s leadership contest, Deputy President David Mabuza has distanced himself from working with the former president to gunner support from Zuma’s loyalists ahead of the conference in December.
Meanwhile, Zuma and advocate Billy Downer are set to face off in court, following Zuma’s private prosecution of the lead prosecutor in his graft trial.
Zuma alleges that Downer leaked information on his medical condition to News24 journalist Karyn Maughan who’s also been charged.
Zuma’s private prosecution of Advocate Downer in court on Monday:
