South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), has postponed its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting as top officials were set to move to KwaZulu-Natal to manage the deteriorating political situation in Nkandla, former president Jacob Zuma’s residence.
Zuma’s supporters were threatening violence if he was arrested and sent to jail as ordered by the Constitutional Court.
In a statement on Friday, the ANC said national leaders would work with provincial leaders to manage the situation in Nkandla. It said:
The meeting of the National Executive Committee scheduled for Saturday, 3 – Monday, 5 July 2021, has been postponed.
In arriving at this decision, the National Officials were mindful of the situation developing in KwaZulu-Natal and the need for the ANC to give clear and principled leadership to ensure the maintenance of the rule of law and to avoid any violence, injury, or loss of life.
NEC members will be deployed to KZN and will work with the provincial leadership in this regard.
The date for the NEC meeting will be communicated in due course.
The Concourt sentenced Zuma to 15 months imprisonment for contempt of court on Tuesday.
This came after the former president defied a Concourt that ordered him to appear before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture, testify and ordered did not have a right to remain silent.
Earlier this week, KZN ANC chairperson and KZN Premier, Sihle Zikalala, warned that the sentencing of Zuma would have far-reaching consequences for South Africa.