The African National Congress (ANC) is considering taking action against former president Jacob Zuma after its 112th anniversary celebrations in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, according to national executive committee (NEC) insiders.

In the meantime, the party has turned to the church, seeking prayers to deal with its "Zuma issue" ahead of the elections.  

The ANC was in church on Sunday to seek divine intervention to resolve what Deputy President Paul Mashatile termed "enemies from within".

An insider told News24 the time the NEC spent discussing Zuma's breach of the ANC constitution was no more than an hour. 

"We agreed that we can't ignore this. There was a consensus that [Zuma] has effectively served us with divorce papers by doing what he has done and, as the ANC, we have to do something about this. We will deal with it after the January 8 celebrations. It is not a priority right now," the insider said.

Another insider said the discussion was around the state of Zuma's membership. 

"Right now, it's a matter of interpretation. Whether we act or not depends on his membership. Some of us believe he is a former member, so what is the point of acting against a former member?

"The reality is that he is a former [member] because how can you say you support something else while a member of another? You cannot be part of two organisations."

There are, however, others who believe Zuma is still a member of the ANC.

The party turns 112 on Monday and will celebrate with a cake-cutting ceremony before the official celebrations on 13 January, when ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the party's January 8 Statement.

Ramaphosa skipped the church service to attend to an "emergency", said Mashatile, who declined to elaborate.

Instead, Mashatile attended the church service at Church on The Hill in Friedenheim, Nelspruit.

He told those in attendance that the ANC was a family whose members were attacking it from within.

"When you are a family, sometimes family members ruin the family. They start breaking windows, some become drunks and they kick doors when they come home drunk.

"The ANC has got such people as well; they are inside, trying to break the windows, trying to kick the doors," Mashatile said.

However, he said the "house will not fall" because its foundation is firm.

Mashatile said, "A house that stands is a house that is built on a good foundation. [On Monday], the ANC will celebrate 112 years. You must ask yourself why the house is not falling in 112 years. It is because it was built on a [solid] foundation. Enemies have been wishing that this house falls, but it is built on a strong foundation and it shall never fall."

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, Mashatile said the party would use the anniversary celebrations to defend itself

"The celebration is not just to celebrate, but we are here to defend this organisation and defend the democracy of our people."

Mashatile said Ramaphosa would likely be back in Mbombela for the cake-cutting ceremony.

Party leaders spoke at several Mpumalanga churches, including the Mighty Wind Ministries in Barberton; the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Matafini; the Turning Point International Christian Centre in White River; and the Rehoboth Christian Centre in Manyeveni.

The visits come as Zuma, who is the face of the newly formed uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, embarks on an intense campaign against the ANC.

Zuma was in Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, on Saturday, addressing hundreds of supporters at Kempville Stadium.

On Sunday, he spoke in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal. 

Zuma announced in December that he would neither campaign nor vote for the ANC, but would remain a member of the party. 

The Sunday Times reported that Zuma was the brains behind the establishment of the MK Party.

The ANC is yet to act on his breach of the party's constitution, but said it would "reflect and respond at the appropriate time".

ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe said Zuma's actions were common in Africa.

Mantashe said," We have a situation here at home where there is a former leader of the ANC [who] is now leading something else. This is common in Africa; presidents lead rebel movements, but we must just be honest with the people and explain our problems."

He said the party was dealing with its challenges.

"We decided to [come] to the church so that the church must pray for us. There are two reasons for that ... We are at the point where people are beginning to doubt that our journey is still on track. This journey is not a freeway; it's difficult, has ups and downs, and has dangerous snakes," Mantashe said.