The long-awaited meeting with former president Jacob Zuma will take place this week at Luthuli House – possibly today.
ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile told the Sunday Times the meeting had been postponed several times due to the unavailability either of the top six NEC members or of Zuma himself.
“When we were supposed to meet two weeks ago, he had other commitments and then when he came last week, we were not available, so we said we must meet on Monday.”
The main issue will be Zuma’s defiance of the Constitutional Court order to appear before the Zondo commission into state capture. President Cyril Ramaphosa and the other five members of the NEC are trying to persuade Zuma to change his mind.
ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte told the Sunday Times this week that the meeting she previously had with Zuma had “nothing to do with anyone”.
“What does it matter why I went there? You know I can’t go to the Pick n Pay and you also need to know why I went there. Ridiculous. Please leave me out.
“I really don’t want to be part of your drama, your conspiracy theories, nothing. OK? Please, I’m really not into any of your conspiracy theories, I’m not into any of your factions that you’re cooking up, I’m just not there,” Duarte said.
“I did go to Nkandla. I came back. I visited JZ, that’s it, end of story. I did not invite you to come with me, nothing.”
An insider said Zuma had raised concerns about criticism directed at him by party leaders… “There were people who were saying that he wants special treatment and that he is conducting himself in a certain way. He did not take kindly to that.”