ANC constitution being taken to trial: Mabe

The African National Congress (ANC) denied that the appointment of some of the country’s top legal minds to oppose a court application brought by suspended Secretary General Ace Magashule is a sign the party is in crisis.

Magashule filed papers in the High Court in Johannesburg last week, asking that the ANC’s step-aside rule be declared unlawful.

Magashule was suspended earlier this month after he refused to step aside pending the finalisation of the corruption case against him.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe says the constitution of the party has been put to the test.

Mabe says, “The party is certainly not in crisis. Unfortunately, the constitution of the ANC has been taken on trial. The party has already issued a statement stating that it will be opposing the application by the Secretary-General. But when courts are then approached in the manner that they have been approached, the ANC ought to act to protect and defend its own constitution and also to protect and defend its own decisions.

Pule Mabe on Magashule’s court action:

Magashule has vowed that he will never form a political party or leave the ANC.

He says no one will ban him under a democracy nor remove the governing party from him.

Magashule was speaking outside the High Court in Pietermaritzburg earlier on Monday.

He was part of several high-ranking ANC officials who had gone there to support former President Jacob Zuma, who is facing fraud and corruption charges.

Addressing Zuma’s supporters outside court, Magashule said: “I am going to be short because I’m banned, but I can assure you…nobody – nobody under a democracy will ban me. Nobody will remove the ANC from me. I won’t form a party, I won’t leave the ANC and I[will] die in the ANC.”

Ace Magashule not expected to apologise to ANC structures: