The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has suspended its former president, Jacob Zuma, amid a fallout over his decision to campaign for the newly formed political party, Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK).

The MK has been steadily gaining popularity since its launch on December 16, 2023, where Zuma said he would not campaign or vote for “the ANC of [President Cyril] Ramaphosa”.

The NEC announced its decision after its three-day ordinary meeting in Boksburg, Gauteng, over the weekend — a move which signals that the MK party has become a headache for South Africa’s governing party.

In a statement released on Monday, January 29, the ANC argued that Zuma is not willing to collaborate or engage in negotiations with its leadership but has attended or organized more than 41 MK party rallies.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula criticized Zuma, describing him as “erratic” and “disruptive.”
He further stated that Zuma’s suspension does not necessitate a response from Zuma, as it has become clear that he intends to “overthrow” the governing party.

“Former President Jacob Zuma is actively impugning the integrity of the ANC and campaigning to dislodge the ANC from power while claiming that he has not terminated his membership. This conduct is irreconcilable with the spirit of organisational discipline and the letter of the ANC Constitution. This chain of events requires the organisation to invoke measures to protect and preserve its integrity and prevent further damage to its reputation.

“The NEC, during its ordinary meeting held from 26 to 29, 2024, resolved to invoke Rule 25.60 of the ANC Constitution: ‘If justifiable exceptional circumstances warrant an immediate decision of temporary suspension of a member without eliciting the comment or response of such member as contemplated above, the NEC, the NWC, the PEC or the PWC, as the case may be, may summarily suspend such member.’ The NEC concluded that exceptional circumstances exist to justify and warrant an immediate decision to suspend former ANC President JG Zuma in line with Rule 25.60 as stated above,” said Mbalula.

Mbalula emphasized that the ANC sees the MK party as a component of a broader campaign by those opposed to transformation, aimed at undermining the ANC and impeding the advancement towards “a unified, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and prosperous nation.”

Echoing ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa’s remarks at the 112th anniversary of the ANC in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, Mbalula highlighted the influence of certain forces that have encouraged rebel break-away factions to undermine the ANC’s support and hinder its ability to wield state power for transformative purposes.

He argued that individuals, including Zuma, whose behavior contradicts the ANC’s values and principles, will be excluded from the ANC as the renewal process gains momentum.

“The people of South Africa and the ANC will not allow a Renamo/Unita project in our country to discredit democratic outcomes that do not favour them and use violence against the people as a bargaining tool. This is the fundamental danger of the JZ-party project. It targets extremist instincts in our body politic and riles up a political base to foment social unrest. His actions reinforce the work of the primarily right-wing opponents of the National Democratic Revolution.

“In this regard, in assuming this reactionary public posture, former President Zuma is actively asserting himself as the figurehead of counter-revolution in South Africa today. Former President Jacob Zuma is actively impugning the integrity of the ANC and campaigning to dislodge the ANC from power, while claiming that he has not terminated his membership. This conduct is irreconcilable with the spirit of organisational discipline and the letter of the ANC Constitution,” he said.

Responding to media inquiries, Mbalula stated that Zuma’s suspension had the unanimous support of NEC members.

According to him, Zuma will not have the luxury of “48 hours” to explain to the ANC why he should avoid suspension.

“When you take a decision, you communicate with the affected individual, which is what we will do and have begun doing from the secretary-general’s office to execute the decision of the NEC in terms of its full implementation,” he said.

Mbalula said the ANC was of the view that there was potential for violence in KwaZulu-Natal, where the MK party enjoys the biggest support.

“We have to be tolerant, but we must guard and work against any element that rears its ugly head in terms of violence, in this particular instance. That potential is there, and we need to undermine it every day. Jacob Zuma worked for peace in KwaZulu-Natal. It is going to be a disgrace that any violence could erupt under his name. From the 16th [December, 2023] to today, January 29, 2024, this party [MK] has moved from just being supported to now being led by Jacob Zuma. He is the honorary president of this party. He is no longer a supporter… He is an important person in this country right now,” Mbalula said.