ANC postpones executive committee meeting

South Africa’s ruling party postponed a scheduled meeting of its highest decision-making body this weekend before the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.

The Constitutional Court this week sentenced Zuma to 15 months in jail for contempt of court. Throngs of supporters are gathering at Zuma’s rural homestead in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal province, as he faces a deadline of handing himself over to the authorities on Sunday.

“The national officials were mindful of the situation developing in KwaZulu-Natal and the need for the ANC to give clear and principled leadership to ensure the maintenance of the rule of law and to avoid any violence, injury, or loss of life,” the party said in a statement.