ANC officials set to have first official meeting with MK Party on Friday

Former president Jacob Zuma's MK Party (MKP) will for the first time after the recent elections meet with the ANC's top officials on Friday.

TimesLIVE understands the meeting was scheduled for Thursday night with the hopes the ANC's top brass would present the outcomes of its national executive committee (NEC) meeting when the two parties met. However, the NEC meeting scheduled to end at 6pm ran over, with ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa announcing its decision later that night.

The ANC told the media on Wednesday that Zuma and his party had snubbed it. After this announcement, the MKP is said to have contacted ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula's office requesting a meeting.

It's unclear whether Zuma will attend the meeting. An insider said should he not physically join it, there will be a conference call with the ANC leadership as a “show of good faith”.

On Thursday the MKP said a meeting with the ANC was expected to take place soon. It said it would hear the views presented with an open mind, while firmly prioritising the inspirations and aspirations of black South Africans.

“We commit and reaffirm to engage only on the future of South Africa which prioritises the interests of the people, specially the black majority who are poor, unemployed, homeless and landless, against the interests of white monopoly capital and markets. Any coalition has to focus on eradicating the systems that preserve and support the prolonged political subjugation and economic enslavement of our people,” the party said.

The ANC officials, joined by its negotiating team, have pre-arranged marathon meetings on Friday with parties including the DA, IFP, EFF and PA negotiators after the NEC's decision to opt for a government of national unity (GNU).

According to ANC insiders, the meeting with the MKP is a “box ticking” exercise as the party does not expect Zuma to join the GNU after saying his party would not negotiate with an ANC led by Ramaphosa.

In this week's interview with EWN, Zuma said he was disappointed with Ramaphosa, adding he had no respect for his successor.

The relationship between the two soured in the lead up to the 2017 Nasrec conference. Zuma later blamed Ramaphosa for his incarceration.

In 2021, the Constitutional Court found Zuma in contempt of court and sentenced him to 15 months' imprisonment after he refused to appear for cross examination at the state capture inquiry.

On Thursday night Ramaphosa announced the ANC would invite parties to join a GNU, adding it would not preclude any party that differed ideologically and politically.

To appease its allies, Ramaphosa said the ANC would ensure the continuation of a progressive agenda and social and economic transformation.

“We further said any such agreement of working with others must be based on a common minimum programme that focuses on measurable targets for economic growth and inclusion on service delivery and development. All parties must commit to shared values, nation building and social cohesion,” he said.

The ANC will have to convince an unflinching DA to join a GNU which might include the PA and EFF. The DA raised the EFF as one of its red lines in negotiations with the ANC during its first meeting on Monday, TimesLIVE understands.

Reacting to Ramaphosa's announcement, EFF leader Julius Malema took to social media to label the ANC as “arrogant”. Malema has in the past harboured ambitions of being deputy president.

TimesLIVE