Stay out of ANC's business, deputy minister tells Zille
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille should focus on her own party rather than concern herself with the African National Congress’s (ANC) business, Deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George said on Monday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Department of Defence HIV/Aids international conference in Pretoria, George called Zille’s proposal to postpone the ANC conference in December “ridiculous”.
“I thought the DA had enough problems of its own than to interfere with the processes of the ANC,” George said referring to the spy scandal in the City of Cape Town’s metro council.
Zille last week said the ANC should postpone its presidential election until its deputy president, Jacob Zuma, had his day in court and his guilt or innocence was determined.
Her statement came after a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that warrants used to search the premises of Zuma and his attorney, Michael Hulley, were legal.
Zille said her party was waiting with interest to see the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) next move.
Though the NPA’s court victory has cleared the way for Zuma to be recharged before the ANC conference, the case is unlikely to be heard in the near future.
Given the division between the appeal court judges and the constitutional issues involved in search and seizure operations, which were central to the case, the court is likely to grant leave to appeal.
A well-placed source told the Mail & Guardian last week that acting National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Mokotedi Mpshe is unlikely to prosecute Zuma while a Constitutional Court case is pending.
In addition, Zuma has indicated that he will bring an application to declare his trial unfair as soon as he is charged again. Such an application will have to be dealt with before any trial proceeds.
George on Monday said the ANC conference—to be held in December in Polokwane—will not be called off, “even if one or two of our members do not attend”.
