SUSPENDED ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has been ordered to apologise publicly for attempting to suspend the party’s president Cyril Ramaphosa.
The ANC national executive committee (NEC), which met over the past three days, will Magashule a set period to apologise for his flagrant violation of ANC constitution and processes or face disciplinary action.
These outcomes were disclosed by Ramaphosa, who held a media briefing to share the resolutions of the NEC. “The NEC agreed that such conduct was completely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of the rules, norms and values of the ANC. The NEC further more instructed the officials to advise the secretary-general to apologise publicly to ANC structures and members within a set timeframe. If he fails to do so, the ANC will institute disciplinary procedures in accordance with the ANC constitution ,” he said.
Ramaphosa also disclosed that ANC staff members working in the secretary-general’s office have been subjected to threats, insults and misinformation. He said death threats had been made to ANC NEC co-ordinator Andries Nel and these would be reported to the police.
The ANC president said the NEC also condemned the attacks on ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte, who has taken over Magashule’s duties.
Ramaphosa said the NEC endorsed the suspension of Magashule and NEC member Bongani Bongo, who is also chairperson of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs.
He said the meeting also confirmed that those suspended may not:
- Carry out official duties of their office.
- Represent the ANC in any capacity.
- Make any public pronouncement on the ANC.
- Mobilise ANC structures, any other organisations or individuals
- Occupy any executive position in government.
The ANC NEC agreed that those suspended will continue to receive their pay and that the suspensions would be reviewed every six months.
Ramaphosa said the NEC also resolved to investigate from its meeting and any organised campaign to subvert the ANC and to take appropriate action
The NEC resolutions represent a major setback for Magashule, whose supporters had hope to have it reversed at the NEC meeting. While some of his allies raised the matter, they failed to convince the NEC.
The NEC resolutions came as supporters of Magashule, stung by his ejection out of a national executive committee (NEC) meeting, plan a “mother of all revolts” to bring the already deeply divided ANC to its knees.
The tactics of Magashule’s supporters include using information supplied by his allies inside the party to force the ANC leadership to bring him back or force a way to topple Ramaphosa. They are planning a series of co-ordinated events that will build up to a shutdown of South Africa.
The Magashule supporters, among them the so-called RET forces within the ANC, also plan to gather at Magashule’s home region in the Free State in a show of support. They also plan to use the court appearance of former President Jacob Zuma as a vehicle to mass mobilisation. “On 17 May 2021 all roads lead to Pietermaritzburg where the total shut down shall begin. There will be a full scale shutdown and nothing will stop us,” said an organiser.
Zuma is a political ally of Magashule and is one of the former ANC president that he consulted with before his suspension.
On Saturday, Magashule’s plan to undermine his suspension exploded in his face when he was kicked out the virtual meeting of the party’s national executive committee.
Magashule was suspended because he is an accused in a criminal court and hours later attempted to suspend Ramaphosa for vote buying.
