ANC supports top six meeting with Jacob Zuma over Zondo deadlock

The ANC has voiced its support for a planned meeting between the party's top six leaders and former president Jacob Zuma over his refusal to co-operate with the state capture inquiry.

This comes as deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said the commission had recommended that Zuma be arrested for defying a Constitutional Court order to appear and respond to allegations against him at the commission.

There is no set date for the meeting with Zuma but he has already met EFF leader Julius Malema, his “RET” supporters and the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association, who are camping at Nkandla to prevent him from being arrested.

The party also confirmed that party president Cyril Ramaphosa would lead the ANC response to allegations of state capture at the commission.

Party secretary-general Ace Magashule said in a statement that the party urged members to co-operate with the commission which is probing serious allegations of state capture under the presidency of Zuma.

“The NEC affirmed the fight against crime and corruption ... and reaffirmed its support, as per its conference and NEC resolutions for the commission of inquiry into state capture, chaired by Judge Zondo, [and] urges all its members and leaders to co-operate with the commission in the national interest, and to allow the commission to complete its work fairly and present its findings, without fear or favour,” the statement read.

It wanted officials and the national working committee to prepare for the appearance so the party could present a firm position against corruption, state capture and its impact on people and the country.

The statement also expressed support for the party's integrity commission which presented its report to the NEC for 2020.

“The NEC noted, with concern, that not all reports of the commission have been processed and tabled in the NEC. Consequently, the findings and recommendations of the commission in these matters have not yet been processed and decided upon by the NEC.

“The NEC appreciated the ongoing engagements between the national officials and the integrity commission. The NEC resolved that the reports of the integrity commission must be processed in a principled and consistent manner,” said the statement.

It said the party has tasked its national officials and the NWC to process all outstanding reports and for these to be presented to the NEC for decision.

The party further confirmed its decision to establish a new task team to lead the ANC Youth League to its next conference.

Currently the party's national youth league task team is facing revolt from some members who are calling it “eldership” because the majority of its members are above the age of 35.

The statement also confirmed that the party was looking at holding its national general council this year via a hybrid system due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Before Covid-19, a number of Ramaphosa's detractors in the party had been eyeing the NGC as the right platform to challenge his leadership, using the funding of his CR17 campaign as a basis.

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