The African National Congress (ANC) has taken the decision to suspend the membership of its former president, Jacob Zuma.
The decision was made by the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) during their recent meeting. ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, stated that Zuma had been making “vitriolic attacks” against the party and had established the MK party with the intention of dislodging the ANC from power.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Former President Jacob Zuma Faces Suspension From ANC Membership
Mbalula further explained that the establishment of the MK party was seen as part of a trend of parties attempting to prevent the ANC from retaining power.
Zuma’s actions and remarks since the announcement of the MK party were deemed to be in contravention of the ANC’s constitution and were seen to impair the integrity of the party.
As a result, the NEC decided to invoke rule 25.60 of the ANC constitution, allowing for the temporary suspension of a member in exceptional circumstances.
Mbalula emphasised that the formation of the MK party was not accidental but a deliberate attempt to use the history of armed struggle to lend credibility to a counter-revolutionary agenda. The NEC believed that Zuma was actively presenting himself as the figurehead of counter-revolution in South Africa.
While the ANC had initially chosen not to publicly respond to Zuma’s remarks, the party now plans to address his public “distortions.” However, instead of immediate expulsion, the ANC has opted to take Zuma through a disciplinary process, which may take some time.
Mbalula explained that the decision to not act immediately against Zuma was due to the need to analyze his decision thoroughly, as the ANC had never experienced someone of Zuma’s stature leaving the party.
 has suspended the membership of its former president, Jacob Zuma, due to his vitriolic attacks){kind=link}