Picture: Twitter
The Nkandla gatherings currently taking place in support of former president Jacob Zuma are a cause for concern.
This is according to KwaZulu Natal Premier Sihle Zikala, who was speaking to the media outside Zuma’s Nkandla homestead on Saturday.
Zikalala acquiesced to the fact that the Nkandla gatherings go against lockdown regulations and may pose a problem for the country’s ongoing third wave of Covid-19 infections.
ALSO READ: Zuma to ‘address the nation’ on Sunday
24,270 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the country on Friday, bringing the overall number of infections past the two million mark.
Zikalala also said he believes the approach taken by Zuma in applying for his recession to be heard is helpful to their cause as his supporters.
The ANC’s KZN branch has declared their support for the former president and according to the Premier, they are in constant engagement with ANC leadership on the issue of Zuma’s legal woes.
“We don’t want to see a confrontation between the people and the state and we don’t want to see any kind of violent situation ensue,” added Zikalala before declaring that society is divided over Zuma’s legal woes.
According to the Premier, Zuma’s supporters do not wish to prolong this process.
The Constitutional Court on Saturday agreed to hear Zuma’s contempt of court recession application on Monday, 12 July 2021.
ALSO READ: Zuma to appeal unappealable prison sentence – report
The decision comes a day after Zuma’s legal team filed an urgent application to reverse the finding against him that would see him spend up to 15 months in prison.
Additionally, the order granted police the power to arrest Zuma had he not turned himself in by Sunday.
Sunday marked five days since Zuma was sentenced to 15 months behind bars for being in contempt of the ConCourt.
According to a report by News24, this decision by the ConCourt effectively suspends the most recent order against him that required him to go to jail.
Zuma promised to address his followers and the nation on Sunday and as a result, the Nkandla gatherings continue.
Compiled by Kaunda Selisho