Staff Reporter
The ANC has given its secretary general Ace Magashule and other senior party members facing criminal charges 30 days to voluntarily step aside or face suspension.
This was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his closing remarks at the end of the marathon meeting held by the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) – the party’s highest decision-making body between conferences – over the weekend.
“All members charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, failing which they should be suspended in terms of rule 25.70 of the ANC constitution,” Ramaphosa said.
“The meeting emphasised that the 30-day period will be used to enable the implementation of the decision in line with the guidelines and this is not for the review of the decision,” he added.
Ramaphosa said the decision was in line with resolutions taken at the ANC’s 54th National Conference on credibility and integrity.
“The NEC expressed full and unconditional support for the integrity commission in the execution of its mandate to provide leadership in the combating of unethical conduct, in promoting integrity, honesty and increasing compliance with the constitution, rules and code of conduct by members of the ANC as well as to protect the ANC from being brought into disrepute,” he said.
Ramaphosa instructed the secretary general’s office to communicate the party’s decision to all affected members.
“The secretary general’s office will work with the provinces to identify all people affected and inform them of the decision,” he said.
Magashule, who is facing is charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering relating to the failed asbestos project in the Free State during his time as the premier of the province, will seek advice from former president Jacob Zuma and others on the step-aside issue.
“The NEC welcomes the decision by . . . Cde Ace Magashule to use the time to seek the counsel of past leaders of our movement and the ANC supports our secretary general in this effort,” Ramaphosa said.
“The NEC called on all ANC members to rally around this decision and not to engage in any acts of indiscipline, including through mobilisation or public statements that undermine the implementation of conference resolutions.”
The president also said the NEC would act against those within the party ranks calling themselves Radical Economic Transformation (RET) forces.
“The NEC therefore condemned the establishment of groups operating as an organised faction within the ANC to undermine the ideological and organisational integrity of the ANC,” Ramaphosa said.
“The NEC warned those who wish to subvert the ANC by seeking to create diversions that we will not tolerate meddling in the internal affairs of the ANC or the use of ANC resources to undertake counter-revolutionary activities from within its structures and facilities.
“The meeting agreed that no ANC member should associate themselves with or be involved in the so-called ‘RET Forces’.
“Furthermore, the NEC will not allow any member of the ANC staff to use the resources and premises of the ANC to hold meetings of the RET or any other faction.”
