'This is quite upsetting': ANC NEC member Mondli Gungubele slams Zuma's court defiance

Former president Jacob Zuma's continued defiance of the law and the legal process is quite upsetting. This is according to ANC national executive member Mondli Gungubele, who said Zuma's disregard for the Constitutional Court was undermining the law.

Speaking on 702, Gungubele said the law should be respected and that Zuma should appear before the state capture inquiry.

He said those supporting and “running around” Zuma need to explain themselves.

“What I am clear about is the stance of the ANC on the matter. Over and above that is my understanding of legal science, that you cannot resolve legal concepts outside the established legal system. It's a fallacy,” said Gungubele.

He said there's no provincial executive committee or NEC forum that can resolve legal issues and that Zuma's continued defiance of the legal process “is quite upsetting”.

Gungubele said it would be “sick and stupid” for the ANC to split over the matter.

“The resolutions of the ANC direct all its members to support the laws of the country. It will be sick and stupid to see a division because we are aligning with the resolutions of the conference. An organisation whose future is threatened by implementing its resolutions has got a crisis,” said Gungubele.

Zuma faces the possibility of two years' imprisonment over his defiance of a court order to appear before the commission.

In February, the commission requested that the former president be jailed for contempt of court.

It said Zuma’s failure to appear before it and file affidavits as directed by the court were some of the grounds on which he should be found guilty of contempt.

Zuma’s lawyer, Eric Mabuza, said the former president was awaiting the outcome of a review for deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo to recuse himself as chair of the commission.

The ANC's top six officials, on Monday, said they would give Zuma “space” to continue speaking to his lawyers about his refusal to appear before the commission.

“The top six heard his explanation and agreed to give him space to continue consulting with his lawyers on these issues which he has actually raised [on] whether to appear before the commission,” said ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

“We have left that matter because he will further consult with his lawyers.”