African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has defended the party’s list which contains names of possible Members of Parliament and the provincial legislatures saying it reflects the ANC’s internal democracy.
However, Ramaphosa says those who are implicated in wrongdoing, will have to be brought to account.
The ANC has come under fire after it transpired that its list of possible Members of Parliament after the May election contains the names of people like Nomvula Mokonyana, Malusi Gigaba and other members who have been implicated in corruption at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.
Ramaphosa says the law will dictate if certain members of the ANC will be removed from the list.
“It is the will of the membership of the ANC. Those people who may well be implicated or whatsoever-they themselves may find to take decisions, but if they are found to have committed wrongs or found guilty-obviously the system or the rule of the law will dictate that they shouldn’t be part of the list.”
The President’s comments come after the ANC National Executive Committee announced plans to remove North West provincial Women’s League deputy secretary, Bitsa Lenkopane from its provincial candidate list after SABC News enquired about past convictions against her.
Lenkopane was previously convicted on charges of fraud and assault. Acting ANC national spokesperson Dakota Legoete said the party would write to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to effect changes on the list. Legoete says her inclusion on the list is due to human error.
The ANC reacted to some of the issues raised over the party’s candidate lists that were handed over to the IEC. One of the issues is whether the Umzimkhulu Mayor will be eligible to be on the Kwazulu-Natal Provincial Legislature list after he was arrested in connection with the murder of local party councillor, Sindiso Magaqa – in 2017.
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