The ruling African National Congress National Executive Committee (ANC NEC) has instructed the party’s Secretary General’s office and Provincial Secretary to urgently investigate and initiate disciplinary action against the organisers responsible for the incitement of violence and defiance of Covid-19 regulations at Nkandla over the weekend.

ANC acting Secretary General Jessie Duarte addressed media on the outcomes of the ANC NEC meeting that took place on Monday.

This follows a gathering of scores of former President Jacob Zuma’s supporters, at the weekend, camping outside his Nkandla home in an effort to protect him from going to jail, which they did in contravention of Covid-19 lockdown regulations.

Zuma was last week found guilty of contempt of court by the Constitutional Court for failing to appear before the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture and sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Duarte said the ANC respects the judiciary and added that the party hopes that Zuma’s court application to rescind his sentence will be successful.

“The NEC reaffirms that all our democratic institutions, including the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, shall always be defected from political attacks so that they do their work without fear, favour or prejudice,” she said.

The NEC also said that threats and violence in response to legal and judicial matters were abhorrent and would not be tolerated and stressed that South Africans, including members of the ANC, had a responsibility to protect themselves and others against Covid-19.

The party agreed that no one was exempt from complying with the regulations and restrictions.

Duarte further revealed that while the party had not engaged with Zuma on the recent Nkandla gatherings, senior NEC members have been selected to speak with him on an ongoing basis.

“President Zuma is exploring every legal avenue that is available to reduce or to remove the custodial sentence that had been put on him. In the view of the ANC, we respect the rule of law. We believe the judiciary must be left to make its own decisions. We don’t believe we have any say in how the judiciary will make a finding. We would hope that comrade Zuma’s court application will be successful, and that’s really all we can say at this stage,” Duarte said.

MKMVA DISBANDED

The ANC noted that some Mkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans (MKMVA) were present at Nkandla, and the party stated that some actions by sections of the MKMVA were “shameful”.

The ANC has taken a decision to disband the MKMVA and its council with the liberation army soon expected to celebrate 60 years.

“The threat of violence aimed at undermining our democracy and its core institutions is counter-revolutionary, akin to similar displays and acts by extreme right-wing elements,” Duarte said.

The ANC NEC noted that the South African Police Service deployed at Nkandla over the weekend, had managed the “volatile situation as best as they could”, to avoid any bloodshed.

Duarte said the NEC had decided to postpone its meeting that was scheduled to take place this past week, following reports of “human shields” being formed at Nkandla.

“The ANC knew that the situation was getting out of hand and they had to postpone the NEC meeting last week,” she said, adding that while the ANC was facing difficult times, this was not the worst.

The ANC NEC reaffirmed its support for party leadership in KZN and also warned those in the party who were “trying to undermine this leadership”, to stop trying to divide the ANC.

When asked if the ANC would take action against suspended secretary general Ace Magashule, who appeared on stage with Zuma as he addressed supporters on the weekend, Duarte said the party would ask him to explain himself.