The African National Congress (ANC) National Working Committee (NWC) has condemned, what it calls, the divisive and defiant behaviour of suspended party Secretary-General Ace Magashule, National Executive Committee (NEC) member Tony Yengeni and uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association’s Carl Niehaus during former President Jacob Zuma’s recent court appearance.
The trio addressed the crowds outside the High Court in Pietermaritzburg and allegedly made disparaging remarks about some party leaders.
“The NWC has instructed the National Presenter to look into these breaches of discipline and to investigate charges in line with the ANC constitution and Code of Conduct,” says party Deputy Secretary-General, Jessie Duarte on behalf of the NWC.
Duarte says the NWC is also supporting the party’s urgent application to oppose Magashule’s court bid to have his temporary suspension set aside.
The NWC also observed that ANC provinces and party caucus in Parliament continue to implement the party’s 2017 step-aside resolution in which party members would have to step aside from their party positions pending the conclusion of court cases against them.
“The Secretary-General and other people will still have to follow the process no matter what we might say. We might have an emotional need to say something, however, the process must be followed,” says Duarte.
Duarte says Magashule can’t appeal his suspension.
“But rule 25.70 under which Magashule is suspended does not have an appeals component. However, this is not to punish people it is to provide space to both the ANC and the person who has been charged criminally in a court of law to deal with the matters in a period when they are facing the charges,” she adds.
ANC briefs the media on outcomes of the National Working Committee:
