A fierce battle looms between the African National Congress (ANC) and their embattled secretary general (SG), Ace Magashule. This follows the implementation of the ANC’s contentious Nazec conference resolution demanding members of the organisation implicated in wrongdoing to step-aside until proven innocent of those allegations.
Tension was further fuelled in an already divided ANC, as Magashule was temporarily removed from his post at Luthuli House following his refusal to step-aside in accordance with a policy resolution of the organisation.
In his court papers, the suspended SG argues that the step aside resolution and his subsequent suspension are unconstitutional.
“The real motive behind my being purged is the desire to remove me, by hook or by crook, from the all-powerful position of SG so the road to the re-election of President Cyril Ramaphosa and his faction in the next national conference is made easier. I may add that the fears that I would interfere with the democratic processes are a misplaced sign of unnecessary panic,” Magashule said.
Political analyst Raobaka Kalaote weighed in on the matter stating a likely move by the ANC to institute action against Magashule for his defiance.
“In as much as this can play out in a court of law, it does not say the ANC has no stand to do anything about Magashule. His suspension is still in place. There’s nothing precluding the ANC from instituting disciplinary action against him.”
“So, in this instance, let’s just hope we have a National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC that is confident enough and that will not back down from what is expected to be done, guided by its own constitution,” Kalaote said.
Magashule’s flagrant defiance of the ANC’s NEC has been seen in many quarters to be threatening to President Ramaphosa’s unity rhetoric.
