The African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee has heard claims that the party is on the verge of collapse due to the implementation of the step aside resolution.

The NEC meeting has continued without the party’s suspended Secretary-General Ace Magashule.

He was removed from the virtual meeting yesterday. ANC MP Bongani Bongo, who is also facing fraud and corruption charges, was also removed from the meeting.

In some of the leaked audio from the ANC NEC meeting,  former President Thabo Mbeki has asked members whether the party still exists.

“Under very very serious challenges comrades a comrade says we need to meet say two three day retreat and the central point that comrade Bathabile made is this, that the movement is about to collapse. I’m saying comrade chair this question do we still have any organisation called the ANC ?”

ANC NEC member, Dakota Legoete, can also be heard in the leaked NEC discussions saying the party must deal decisively with corruption.

“This NEC if it was to have integrity, reputation in dealing with corruption I think those must also be probed because there are many of us in this meeting who are facing serious allegations of corruption. And I think for as long as we preside and become judges on our own cases it is not going to help this movement in dealing with corruption. We might single out the SG but there are many of us here who are even worse than him in terms of corruption. I don’t want to defend the SG I’m not a disloyal representative but I think it will only be fair that all corrupt elements in our movement, we must deal with them.”

The ANC has warned that any member of the party who leaks information to the media or the public without authorization could be found guilty of misconduct. The party has released a statement in reaction to the leaking of audio on Twitter of the virtual NEC meeting.

Political analyst Levy Ndou weighs in on the matter.:

ANC factional battles

Limpopo chairperson Stanley Mathabatha cautioned that three factions are now claiming to be the real ANC.

Mathabatha, in leaked audio from the NEC meeting, says this is a crucial time for the ANC.

“The President that we are having today is one of the best Presidents that we could ever find as the African National Congress and we must support him comrades. But now the problem that I see is the comrades who run around purporting to be defenders of our President. When they are running around dividing the African National Congress pursuing their personal and factional agendas in our provinces.”