The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) in KwaZulu-Natal has expelled former President Jacob Zuma as its provincial chairperson.
The expulsion of Zuma from Sanco comes a few weeks after the African National Congress (ANC) suspended him over his involvement with uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, which is contesting elections against the ANC.
Zuma was elected Sanco provincial chairperson last year. Sanco is an ANC alliance partner.
However, last December, Zuma announced he would not vote for the ANC in the upcoming elections, announcing that he would instead campaign for the newly formed MK party.
The MK party was registered with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), but the ANC has gone to the Electoral Court to challenge the name.
The ANC said the name belongs to it as this was its military wing that was formed in 1961. The ANC formally disbanded the MK in December 1993 and formed the uMkhonto WeSizwe Military Veterans Association.
Meanwhile, the electoral court is expected to hear the matter over the use of the “MK” on March 19.
Sanco announced on Friday that Zuma has been expelled from the organisation. It said he has not attended meetings and they have considered him to have absconded.
Zuma has for the last two months been campaigning for the MK party in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the North West.
Sanco in KZN said it will support the ANC in the 2024 elections.
The civic movement’s announcement of the expulsion of Zuma comes a week before the ANC holds its manifesto launch in Durban.
This will be the second time another party holds the event at Moses Mabhida stadium after the EFF held its manifesto launch last weekend.
The IFP will launch its manifesto launch at the same venue in March.
Sanco in KZN said Zuma absconded and he has been replaced by Lawrence Dube as acting chairperson.
At the end of last month the ANC announced that it was suspending Zuma for his role in the MK party.
This was after the ANC National Executive Committee meeting on Boksburg.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula denied at the time they had given Zuma 48 hours to respond to the letter of his suspension.
ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe had said earlier they will not deal with the issue of Zuma now because it will distract them from the campaign. He said they will deal with it after the elections.
IOL News