ANC veteran Tony Yengeni has broken his silence about his organisation expelling its former President Jacob Zuma on Monday. Zuma was found guilty by the ANC National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) during a disciplinary hearing that was held virtually last week.

NOT AFFORDED PRE-HEARING 

Yengeni said the ANC refused to afford him as Zuma's representative a pre-hearing and that they also refused to grant Zuma a physical hearing. "I tried to convince the ANC NDC to grant me a pre-hearing and also grant Zuma a physical disciplinary hearing, but they vehemently refused, and from my position, it was clear that these people had made up their minds and they wanted to kick him out of the ANC. They claimed that Zuma violated the ANC constitution by voting and campaigning for other parties, but ANC members are voting with the DA in this government of national unity, and it is not a crime to them to do so," he said.

ZUMA FELT DISRESPECTED 

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika yesterday, Yengeni said that he met with Zuma at his house on Sunday to update him about a possible outcome from the ANC NDC. "We met with Zuma on Sunday and I updated him about a possible outcome of the ANC NDC. We laughed about it and he is still puzzled as to why the ANC NDC failed to grant him the physical meeting. We were shocked to learn from the media that they had leaked their findings. They ANC NDC had promised that they would engage with me as Zuma's representative but they didn't," he said. He said that Zuma was unmoved about the decision to expel him. "When we met, his demeanour was that of a relaxed person. Zuma felt like the ANC NDC disrespected him and treated him as someone new in the organisation," he said.

The NDC found Zuma guilty of contravening Rule 25.17.17.4 of the ANC constitution. The NDC further said that Zuma has a right to appeal his expulsion within 21 days. The NDC was chaired by Enver Surty (acting chairperson), Faith Muthambi, Robinson Raman, and former NPA head Vusi Pikoli. The ANC charged Zuma in April this year after he campaigned openly for the uMkhonto weSizwe Party ahead of the May 29 elections.