The ANC on Wednesday announced that it has suspended Carl Niehaus for inflammatory speeches he made at Nkandla.
In the letter of suspension written to Niehaus, dated 7 July, the ANC NEC says it noted with concern “your inflammatory speeches outside the home of former president Jacob Zuma at Nkandla” over the weekend.
Last week Zuma was convicted by the Constitutional Court for contempt of court and sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Police have until midnight today to arrest the former president because he is in defiance of a ConCourt order to hand himself to the police by Sunday.
Addressing Zuma’s supporters at the weekend, Niehaus said: “Our comrades of MKMVA will form a human shield to protect president Zuma. We do not want president Zuma to go to jail.
“We have warned that if president Zuma is going to be imprisoned that there will be instability and unrest in South Africa.
“If president Zuma continues to be targeted and sent to prison, our country will be torn apart and violence will be inevitable because of this.
“We have warned that the consequences of imprisoning Zuma will be dire for our nation.”
Under level four of Covid-19 restrictions, all gatherings are illegal.
The ANC said the utterances and acts of misconduct by Niehaus, who was the spokesperson of the now-disbanded MKMVA, brought the party into disrepute.
The ANC said it would take disciplinary action against Niehaus within 30 days.
Pointing to the likelihood that Niehaus would continue with his acts of misconduct, the ANC said it was suspending his membership with “immediate effect”.
The suspension effectively puts a seal on the mouth of Niehaus who has spoken in defiance of his party at every turn in recent times.
Before his suspension Niehaus also disregarded the ANC’s disbanding of the MKMVA, saying the elected body “will continue with our programmes”.
