South Africa's ruling ANC tries to defuse standoff over Zuma
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has sent some of its top leaders to defuse rising tensions over the pending arrest of former President Jacob Zuma
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has sent some of its top leaders to defuse rising tensions over the pending arrest of former President Jacob Zuma
Earlier this week, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment by the Constitutional Court for contempt of court. He has until Sunday to hand himself over to authorities, after which the police are ordered to arrest him.
Hundreds of Zuma’s staunchest supporters have gathered outside his home in KwaZulu-Natal province, vowing to resist any police attempts to take him into custody.
But many other ANC supporters and ordinary South Africans have welcomed the ruling against Zuma, saying his arrest is necessary to tackle the country’s rampant corruption.
The ANC's National Executive Committee the party's highest decision-making body, postponed its scheduled meeting this weekend so that its leaders could try to resolve the potentially violent standoff at Zuma's sprawling estate, Nkandla.
The ANC leaders would engage with Zuma and others to “give clear and principled leadership to ensure the maintenance of the rule of law and to avoid any violence, injury, or loss of life,” ANC spokesman Pule Mabe said Friday.
Zuma has denounced the ruling by South Africa's highest court which sentenced him to a prison term and did not say if he will comply. His son and brother have said they will fight “to the death” to resist any attempts to arrest him.
Zuma said Friday that he will make an address about his pending imprisonment over the weekend.
The growing numbers of Zuma's supporters camped out at the entrance to his compound are in defiance of the country’s COVID-19 regulations which prohibit all gatherings except funerals. The hundreds at Zuma’s home are expected to increase over the weekend. Police have not enforced the regulations outside Zuma’s home raising concerns that it may become a super-spreader event.