Jacob Zuma’s return to his duties as African National Congress deputy president was not a mere formality, secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe said on Wednesday.
”The national executive committee [NEC] has to consider and pronounce itself on it,” Motlanthe said.
He told SAfm the NEC would meet in Zuma’s absence on Sunday to consider his return to the second highest office in the party.
”He will have to await the final position of the ANC,” Motlanthe said.
The meeting would be held in Johannesburg and would be closed. Zuma told reporters on Tuesday it was up to the party to decide his future, and he would accept what the ANC said.
He said had already communicated with Motlanthe about his participation in the party.
”The point is, I have never wanted to be a leader — the ANC decides.”
He continued: ”I have never refused a task given by the ANC and I am not about to do so now.”
Earlier, Zuma told the South African Broadcasting Corporation’s Special Assignment programme he would resume his duties as ANC deputy president.
”The case is over and therefore I’m back. I took a decision [to step down temporarily], which was accepted by the ANC for the duration of the case.”
When Zuma was charged in December with raping a 31-year-old HIV-positive woman at his Johannesburg home, he withdrew from his duties as deputy president, working only as an ”ordinary member”.
President Thabo Mbeki dismissed Zuma as deputy president of the country last year after the Durban High Court found he had a ”generally corrupt relationship” with businessman Schabir Shaik.
This sparked outrage among Zuma supporters, leading to a wave of anti-Mbeki messages and insults against the president.
Zuma’s apology ‘highly commendable’
Meanwhile, loveLife has welcomed Zuma’s apology for having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman.
Chairperson of the advisory board of the organisation, Tokyo Sexwale, said it was commendable that Zuma had clarified his stance on the prevention of HIV/Aids.
”His acknowledgement that he erred in having unprotected sex and his apology for not having acted with greater responsibility is highly commendable,” said Sexwale.
Sexwale asked South Africans to support educational campaigns around HIV/Aids.
”We trust that the message has gone out loud and clear to everyone: The best way to prevent the spread of HIV and Aids is to abstain, be faithful and condomise,” said Sexwale.
On Monday, Zuma was acquitted of a rape charge brought against him by a 31-year-old HIV-positive woman.
High Court Judge Willem van der Merwe agreed with Zuma that they had consensual sex. – Sapa