ANC National Disciplinary Committee expels Jacob Zuma from party

A leaked ANC National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) report has revealed that the party has expelled former president Jacob Zuma for breaching its constitution. 

“The charged member is expelled from the ANC. The charged member has the right to appeal to the National Disciplinary Committee of appeal within 21 days,” read the report.

Zuma was facing two charges in the NDC which pertain to failing to follow rule 25.17.17(4) and for violating rule 25.17.13. He was found guilty of the first charge, ostensibly because he campaigned for and led the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party against the ANC.

Rule 25.17.17(4) involves prejudicing the integrity and repute of the ANC, its personnel or its operational facility by acting on behalf or in collaboration with a counterrevolutionary organisation or party outside the ANC and its alliance partners in a manner contrary to the ANC’s objectives.

Read more: Inside Jacob Zuma’s disciplinary hearing – ANC calls for expulsion of former President

Zuma’s hearing was held virtually last week, with party Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula as the key witness.

The leaked document shows that five members of the party’s NDC voted in favour of Zuma’s expulsion. While the NDC includes seven members, it’s not clear that all were present.

ANC NDC and National Executive Committee members Faith Muthambi and Nocawe Mafu voted in favour of expelling Zuma, alongside NDC members Robinson Ramaite, Vusi Pikoli and Kerensa Millard. 

Zuma joined the ANC Youth League in 1959.

Last week, Daily Maverick reported that ANC rapporteur Amanda Vilakazi recommended to the NDC that Zuma be expelled for his involvement with the MK party, a key catalyst in SA’s changing political landscape, which saw the ANC fall under 50% nationally for the first time in the May general elections.

Mbalula outlined how the former president ditched the ANC for the MK party, which was seen as an unforgivable violation by a former leader of the ANC.

Read more: Zuma disciplinary — Handful of MK supporters ignore memo about virtual hearing, descend on Luthuli House

In a unanimous decision by the ANC NEC, Zuma was in January suspended in terms of rule 25.60 of the party’s constitution. At the time, Mbalula explained that the rule did not allow Zuma the opportunity to respond to the decision as it was final.

Zuma has campaigned for the newly formed MK party since December 2023 while claiming he remained an ANC member. 

When announcing his support for the MK party, Zuma accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of being an agent of “white monopoly capital”.

In the 2024 provincial and national elections, the MK party overtook the EFF as the third-largest party nationally and won the highest share of the vote in KwaZulu-Natal. DM