The African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC) has been discussing the Phala Phala saga at its ordinary political meeting at Nasrec, Johannesburg.
The party’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, raised the issue in his political overview report, at the opening of the meeting on Friday.
ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile will table the Integrity Commission’s report on the matter on Saturday.
The aim of the meeting is to discuss preparations for the ANC’s 55th national conference in December.
The meeting is also expected to discuss and adopt some policy decisions, which some political analysts say relate to land, economic growth as well as corruption.
It was for the first time President Ramaphosa raised the issue of Phala Phala farm before the NEC.
It’s against the backdrop of former Presidents Jacob Zuma, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe criticizing him on this and other matters.
It remains to be seen whether the ANC NEC will call on Ramaphosa to step aside or not.
Three-Day ANC NEC meeting at Nasrec: Dr Sithembile Mbete
Public spats with Ramaphosa
Earlier, ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe cautioned former and current party leaders who have continued to publicly criticise the incumbent President to refrain from doing so.
Mantanshe said the NEC meeting is a proper platform for whoever is not happy with Ramaphosa’s leadership, to raise their concerns.
Mantashe says proper structures should be utilised to raise concerns.
“We are having an NEC; this is where we raise issues and discuss them. If your view doesn’t persist, I can give you a list of people who raised this in the NEC, that Cyril must step aside and be defeated in the NEC, but still go to the media to get the weight of the media behind them.”
“It doesn’t work that way, you go to the structure, you put out a thought, that thought wins the day in the structure, then it becomes a decision of the organisation.”
Public scrutiny of ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned: Gwede Mantashe
