ANC postpones Zuma's disciplinary hearing due to security concerns
In a media briefing at Luthuli House on Sunday, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said that the party received a security assessment and identified security concerns.
Former President Jacob Zuma addresses members of the media under the banner of new party uMkhontho weSizwe on 16 December 2023. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/ Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) has postponed the disciplinary hearing of former president Jacob Zuma over security concerns.
On Thursday, the party served Zuma with a disciplinary hearing notice set down for Tuesday.
READ: Zuma summoned to appear before ANC's disciplinary committee
Zuma was suspended from the ANC in January for bringing the party into disrepute after he announced that he would be campaigning and voting for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
In a media briefing at Luthuli House on Sunday, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula said that the party received a security assessment and identified security concerns.
"It was in this context that the NDC [National Disciplinary Committee] was requested to be mindful of these concerns and consider holding in abeyance any disciplinary proceedings that require in-person meetings at Luthuli house until after the 2024 elections."
[JUST IN] The ANC has postponed the disciplinary hearing of its suspended member, Jacob Zuma until after the elections.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) May 5, 2024
Fikile Mbalula, ANC Secretary General, said this was due to safety concerns. TCG pic.twitter.com/7LaD6mUKry
The ANC said the postponement of Zuma’s disciplinary hearing does not diminish the independence of its disciplinary committee.
Mbalula explained that the decision was taken following a security assessment which found there was a potential for clashes between the party’s supporters and those of uMkhonto weSizwe.
The MK party had already begun mobilising its supporters to show up outside Luthuli house offices on Tuesday, where their leader was due to appear.
Mbalula said he could not disclose who conducted the security assessment, however, the safety of ANC and MK party supporters was taken into consideration.
He says the ANC’s disciplinary committee remains an autonomous organisation.
“We do not want something that happened in the past like when the DA [Democratic Alliance] came here and then there was violence. It was minimal and this one can be big so we have stopped it... so the ANC disciplinary processes are internal processes."
On Saturday, the MK party released a statement saying it objects to any delays in this matter.