(Special for CAFS) S. African ruling party calls for members to refrain from violence

JOHANNESBURG, July 6– The African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) on Tuesday strongly condemned the skirmishes witnessed outside former president Jacob Zuma’s home in Nkandla over the past days which saw his supporters call for violence and fire gunshots in the air.
ANC’s deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte said the party won’t tolerate any forms of violence.
“That any attempt to respond to legal and judicial matters through threats and acts of violence, form any quarter, is abhorrent, and should not and will not be tolerated,” she briefed the media on the outcomes of the special NEC meeting held on Monday.
The remarks came after the Constitutional Court sentenced Zuma to a 15 months jail term for contempt of court.
Zuma was given the sentence after refusing to appear and testify at the State Capture Commission which is currently sitting to investigate allegations of corruption and looting of billions that happened during his administration.
Since the judgement, thousands of Zuma’s supporters camped outside his home in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, threatening journalists and firing gunshots in the air.
Duarte said that the meeting agreed that the country’s democratic institutions should be protected.
“The NEC reaffirms that all our democratic institutions including the judiciary and law enforcement agencies shall always be defended from political attacks so that they do their work without favour, fear and prejudice,” she said.
She said all those implicated at the state capture commission, including senior ANC members, should cooperate with its work.
She described the situation outside Nkandla as “volatile.”
Duarte said the NEC resolved to instruct the secretary general’s office and provincial secretary to investigate and initiate disciplinary action against those responsible for incitement of violence, defiance of lockdown regulations, the burning of ANC regalia and other acts of ill-discipline, which violates the ANC’s constitution and code of conduct. (Xinhua)