The constitutionality of the 2015 ANC National General Council (NGC) resolution, which calls for leaders implicated in corruption to step aside will be tested at the governing party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which kicks off on Sunday afternoon.
The party’s highest decision-making structure will be discussing the political future of all party leaders who are facing criminal charges.
ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule, Home Affairs Portfolio Committee Chairperson Bongani Bongo, and member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature Zandile Gumede are among those facing fraud and corruption charges in different courts.
Fireworks are expected at the last ANC’s NEC of the year, as the political future of some party leaders facing criminal charges will be decided.
The party’s secretary-general is currently out on R200 000 bail. For some time now, pressure has been mounting for Magashule to be forced to step down as per the 2015 ANC National General Council resolution.
Speaking to SABC News on the sidelines of the party’s by-election campaign at the Ramaphosa informal settlement, in Ekurhuleni, on Saturday, ANC NEC member and Head of Campaigns, Fikile Mbalula, conceded that this was not an easy matter for the governing party.
ANC NEC to discuss the future of all leaders charged with corruption:
In 2015, the ANC NGC resolved that all those accused of corruption and other serious crimes, including those charged in courts, must step aside from their positions or responsibilities, to protect the image of the ANC.
But the ANC seems to have backtracked on this resolution, which has now been referred to today’s NEC meeting.
The party’s Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte has previously said they had put the resolution on hold while consulting legally.
“We have requested senior counsel to give us an opinion on how we should go forward with this matter of the step aside perspective so that we take into account the rights of people in the constitution of the Republic of South Africa. We take into account the weight of the accusation,” Duarte says.
Meanwhile in Gauteng, the ANC Chairperson and Premier David Makhura has said no one will be forced to resign to make way for provincial Treasurer Parks Tau who will take over as a MEC.
Tau, who was the Deputy Minister for Cooperative Governance, will this week be sworn in as the Gauteng Economic Development MEC. This has caused ructions with the ANC Youth League, which wanted a young person to take over.
