- The ANC leadership in KZN recently visited former president Jacob Zuma.
- The province has long believed the former leader was a victim of political wrangling.
- The provincial secretary said the government had to support Zuma in the same it supported other former leaders.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says the government should support former president Jacob Zuma in the same manner it does other former heads of state.
On Friday, it insisted that it would ramp up its backing of the former party leader in all his court appearances.
Zuma is facing corruption charges linked to the arms deal matter.
The ANC KZN has long believed Zuma was the victim of a political conspiracy - and the province has been upping its public support for him in recent months.
The province's newly elected leadership visited Zuma at his home in Nkandla last week, to "seek wisdom".
The provincial secretary, Bheki Mtolo, said the province had not only sought support from Zuma, but also from Thabo Mbeki.
Mtolo, in a post-provincial executive committee media conference, said the engagements with these two leaders were fruitful.
But the province also took the case to highlight its support for Zuma, saying the government should support the former leader in the same manner all former presidents were treated.
"The ANC will spread the light of unity and respect for all our leaders for their contributions that brought us freedom and democracy. Importantly, the ANC resolved to support president Jacob Zuma moving forward – including ensuring visibility in all court appearances.
"We call upon the ANC government to ensure that president Zuma is supported like all former presidents. As is the case with former heads of state residences, his residence must also be maintained," Mtolo said.
Zuma recently suffered a legal blow when VBS Mutual Bank curators were granted an order to seize his assets to settle the loan used to pay back money which funded upgrades to his Nkandla home.
KZN not obsessed with ANC's top six positions
With nominations for ANC leadership positions set to open on 7 September, the ANC in KZN rejected the view that it sought a person from the province to be included in the top six.
Mtolo said the ANC had no history of requiring that whoever is elected must be divided across provinces.
The ANC in KZN currently has no member elected to the ANC top six.
The last leader from the province was former ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize, who was elected in 2012.
Mkhize is vying for the ANC presidency and has been campaigning in various regions in the province, as News24 reported.
But Mtolo insists it is a myth that the province aims to ensure one of its leaders is elevated to a top position nationally.
Mtolo said if ANC branches resolved on a person from the province, they would be supported.
"There is this belief that ANC KZN must be guaranteed a top six position. There is an idea that the ANC in KZN and Eastern Cape must be guaranteed a top six (position). Let us move away from that. Currently, the field has not been opened.
"The branches will decide if they get somebody from KZN; they will not be supporting that person only because that person is from KZN. It is a myth that is created. We do not elect people because they are from KZN. You cannot expect ANC delegates to agree on one name because it is a contestation," Mtolo said.
Mtolo also rejected assertions that the ANC in KZN lost at Nasrec in 2017 when Senzo Mchunu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were defeated in their contestation for secretary-general and president, respectively.