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ANC NEC DASHES KZN LEADERSHIP'S HOPES OF SUPPORTING ZUMA MEDICAL PAROLE APPEAL Times Live By Tshidi Madia

The African National Congress (ANC) has poured cold water over its KwaZulu-Natal leadership’s hopes to join former President Jacob Zuma’s application to appeal a High Court judgment sending him back to jail.

This after the party’s national executive committee – which is its highest decision-making body in between conferences – resolved to adopt a wait-and-see approach on the matter.

The ANC in KZN wanted support from its party before heading to court.

Zuma is appealing a North Gauteng High Court decision to reverse his medical parole, which he was granted during his 15-month stint in prison for being in contempt of the Constitutional Court.

While the ANC’s top officials are expected to continue discussions with its structures over the party’s position on its former leader Jacob Zuma’s legal woes, none of them will be granted permission to petition any courts on his behalf – this includes the ANC in KZN which wanted to be supported by Luthuli House in this regard.

Pule Mabe said that once the NEC has pronounced itself on a matter, it was final.

"Comrades of KZN would have expressed themselves prior to that national executive committee sitting. The NEC has communicated the decision," Mabe said.

ANC KZN leaders have been at pains to try to appease different camps in their province, which includes not wanting to be seen as if they had turned their back on the former president.

Provincial leaders have been against Zuma’s jailing, calling for presidential pardons and political solutions in a bid to avoid tension from the development.

Zuma’s application for leave to appeal will be heard by the High Court on Tuesday.