Nkandla - THE leadership of the ANC in KZN is currently locked in an urgent and behind closed doors meeting with former president Jacob Zuma at his Nkandla home.
Provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela told Independent Media on Saturday that the meeting is about the worsening political and security situation following Tuesday’s Concourt ruling jailing Zuma for 15 months.
The ruling sparked massive mobilisation, resistance and threat of violence by supporters of the former president who are saying he will only be jailed over their dead bodies.
From the meeting, provincial chairperson Sihle Zikalala will head to an extraordinary PEC meeting which has been called in response to the volatile political situation.
“Yes, they [Zikalala and provincial secretary, Mdumiseni Ntuli] are in Nkandla to meet with the old man [Zuma] and chart a way forward regarding the situation,” Ntombela said briefly.
He also confirmed that the provincial leadership have called an extraordinary provincial executive committee to discuss the matter.
The PEC meeting complements an urgent intervention of the ANC at the national level which has sent a high powered delegation, which includes the likes of Jeff Radebe and Zweli Mkhize, to try and contain the situation.
With Sunday being the expected deadline for Zuma to hand himself or be frogmarched to jail, he has since launched two urgent court cases. One is with the Concourt, where is basically asking it to review its own decision, saying jailing him will “serve no constitutional value” but only to make a political statement and please his political foes.
In another case, Zuma dashed to Pietermaritzburg High Court asking to bar the police from arresting him until the Concourt matter has been heard.
Outside the Nkandla home, the situation was rapidly worsening with more ANC members in support of Zuma trickling to cordon the home ahead of Sunday. The angry supporters threw expletives, saying Zuma must be left alone.
Making the situation more volatile was the arrival of a battalion of Zulu regiments led by Inkosi Bhekumuzi Zuma of the Zuma clan of Nkandla. Some are among the regiments are visibly armed with guns.
While marching to Zuma’s home, they were welcomed by the MK vets that have been stationed at the home since March this year. Some made threats that there would be blood on the floor if the SAPS tried to arrest Zuma.
Surprisingly, Mlandeni Mgiliga Nhleko, the official leader of the Zulu regiments across the country, came to Nkandla as well. On April 27, while in Durban, Nhleko was asked by Independent Media to verify claims from Zuma supporters that regiments would join the fight on the side of Zuma. He said their loyalty lies with sitting Zulu kings, “not individuals.”
Nhleko refused to tell the media why he was in the vicinity.
Outside the home, Nkosentsha Shezi, the chairperson of RET champions and a long time backer of Zuma, said the intervention was a little too late. He said they wanted them to intervene, early but they were ignored.
Further, he warned that while they would welcome a political solution on the Zuma matter, but it should not be at the expense of the former president, and it should not entail him (Zuma) doing jail time.