The African National Congress has scheduled former president Jacob Zuma’s disciplinary hearing for July 17. The former ANC president, who now leads the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, had his membership suspended by the party in January.

The hearing, which seeks to terminate Zuma’s ANC membership and was postponed until after the May 29 elections, will now take place virtually.

It was initially set to take place before the elections but it was postponed due to security concerns and fears of violence.

Zuma was suspended earlier this year after he publicly announced that he would support and vote for MKP.

The ANC’s position is that Zuma “expelled himself” when he made the crucial MKP announcement to back the splinter group on December 16, 2023.

Zuma said on that day that he remained a member of the ANC but would not vote for or support the ANC led by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Zuma’s MKP rocked the elections, amassing 14.8% of the national vote and more than 45% of the vote in his home province of KZN.

Last month, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula confirmed that the disciplinary hearing against “defiant” former President Jacob Zuma would continue, despite their 40% election results.

“The DC against Zuma will continue, nothing has changed. We said that before the elections it must be postponed until after the elections. That disciplinary process will continue,” he said.

The party is accusing Zuma of violating Rule 25 of the ANC's constitution by showing support for another political party.

Zuma’s MKP is now the third largest party with over 14% nationally after the electoral results were announced in May.

It has 58 seats in the National Assembly and 37 seats in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial legislature with 45.35%.

Their members were sworn in last week after refusing to attend the first sitting of parliament ceremony two weeks ago.

The MKP in Parliament will be the official opposition after the DA elected to work with the ANC-led Government of National Unity.

The MKP is led in Parliament by John Hlophe, the impeached Western Cape judge president, who was among the first judges to be impeached in South Africa’s democratic era.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

IOL Politics