Zuma to serve ANC with legal demand to have his membership reinstated

CAPE TOWN - The African National Congress (ANC) is in for a birthday surprise of an unexpected kind, with its former president Jacob Zuma wanting to return to the fold. 
 
While it celebrates its 113th anniversary in Cape Town on Wednesday, its lawyers have served the party with a letter of demand, claiming his dismissal from the party in 2023 was unprocedural. 
 
Zuma was a member for 65 years when he started his political party uMkhonto weSizwe in December of 2023, giving the ANC a run for its money in 2024’s polls to become the main opposition party in parliament. 
 
In a letter to the ANC’s secretary general, Zuma’s lawyers list 12 instances in the disciplinary process which he believes were illegal and unconstitutional.
 
These include the AMC’s refusal to hold the hearing and its appeal, physically and in public. 
 
Zuma said the ANC also behaved improperly by not postponing the hearing when requested and failing to hold a pre-hearing. 
 
Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi said: “This matter extends beyond individual grievances, reflecting deeper concerns about the ANC’s current trajectory. There’s a growing perception that the organisation is being led by individuals whose actions resemble those of askaris, undermining the movement’s historic mission.”
 
Zuma said his rights have been further violated by the failure of the chairperson of the appeals committee, Johnny de Lange to provide reasons for its ruling. 
 
Zuma said if he’s not reinstated by the end of January, he will have no choice but to take further legal steps. 

ALSO READ:

• No other avenue available for Zuma to challenge expulsion, says ANC
• Zuma started MK Party to 'stop ANC from the direction it's taking'