EXCLUSIVE | Supra Mahumapelo speaks to SABC News about his suspension from the ANC

Former African National Congress (ANC) Chairperson and former Premier of the North West province Supra Mahumapelo says he is still a member of the party.

Mahumapelo was reacting to his suspension from the party for five years by the disciplinary committee. Mahumapelo and Acting Provincial Secretary of the ANC Women’s League Bitsa Lenkopane are both charged with misconduct, after allegedly convening a parallel meeting to that of the Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in Mareetsane near Mahikeng in 2020.

He says he has appealed the verdict of the Interim Provincial Disciplinary Committee.

EXCLUSIVE | Supra Mahumapelo speaks out following suspension from the ANC:

Mahumapelo says the ANC should not suspend members who are being accused of corruption.  He says the step-aside resolution will divide the party.

“When you look at that resolution, I think we made a mistake as the ANC. We didn’t take the resolutions to the lawyers to scrutinise them and make sure that every resolution complies with the law. If you remove somebody because they are accused in court. Look at what happened to Bongo. Bongo won the case. If Bongo was removed on the basis that he was formally charged. It would have been injustice on him,” says Mahumapelo.

He made the comments during an exclusive interview with SABC News.

Mahumapelo says members of the IPC hate him.

“There are some of the comrades who are in these structures, who hate me with passion, it’s not political –  it’s personal.”

He says he doesn’t know what mistakes he committed in the party. He says there are people who want him expelled from the party.

The IPC has accused Mahumapelo of creating and promoting disunity among members of the party.

Meanwhile, the ANC says it will outline the process of its step-aside resolution, for party members facing criminal charges, on Friday.

The 30-day deadline for party leaders charged with corruption to step aside or face suspension from the party expires on Friday.

They include ANC Secretary General, Ace Magashule and Member of Parliament, Bongani Bongo.

The ANC’s National Executive Council decided at the end of  March to implement the resolution that was taken at the party’s 54th conference at Nasrec in 2017.

Magashule has been consulting with senior party members and former leaders, including Jacob Zuma on his fate.

Party spokesperson Pule Mabe says the party will issue a statement on Friday.

“We have already agreed. We have spoken about the issue of 30 days. We have a meeting with the National Working Committee on Monday. We have an NEC on Saturday and we will issue a statement tomorrow outlining those processes,”says Mabe.