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Free State ANC members call for Magashule to face the music and step aside

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African National Congress (ANC) National Spokesperson Pule Mabe has received a memorandum of grievances on behalf of the party from Free State members.

The members of the party staged a protest at the party’s headquarters, Luthuli House in Johannesburg. Among other things they are calling for the implementation of resolutions from the 54th national elective conference, with some saying ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule must face the music and step aside for his alleged involvement in corruption while he was the premier of the Free State.

Mabe says the ANC National Working Committee (NWC) is currently in a meeting and will soon attend to the grievances.

“The National Working Committee of the ANC is sitting at this present moment. I’ll be reporting to the leadership of the ANC. I have taken your numbers and will make sure that in the shortest time possible we are able to report back on the feedback of the organization. We must just say that it is encouraging that comrades are finding it proper to register these concerns here at Luthuli House.”

Free State ANC members march to Luthuli House to highlight plight of ordinary citizens:

The Congress of the People says African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Ace Magashule must not dictate to the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority on how they should conduct arrests.

The party says there is nothing wrong with the media accompanying the Hawks when they go and make their arrests.

COPE was responding to Magashule’s remarks earlier regarding Hawks’ recent arrests of government officials linked to the Free State asbestos project.

Magashule warns Hawks against what he referred to as ‘Hollywood style arrests’: 

 

“It is totally unacceptable that ANC Secretary-General, Ace Magashule, must keep on dictating to the Hawks and NPA how they must treat him when they come to arrest him. This dictatorship must stop. Ace Magashule is no better than any other suspect who must be arrested. As far as we know we don’t have VIP suspects or ordinary suspects. All suspects of crime must be treated the same,” says COPE National Spokesperson, Dennis Bloem, in a statement.

Magashule said that the Hawks’ recent approach is the same as that of the Scorpions.

Meanwhile, Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, says after several months of delays, investigations into the Vrede Dairy Farm project are now on track. Mkhwebane says she is waiting for responses from those implicated in the controversial project.

Those named include former Magashule, forerm MEC’s Mosebenzi Zwane, Mamiki Qabathe, local municipality mayor John Motaung and provincial Agriculture head of department, Peter Thabethe.

Mkhwebane says she has given them until the 26th of October to respond.

“The focus of this new report is on the role of the politicians in the Vrede matter and prejudice suffered by the beneficiaries. So, we are focusing on that. To be fair to them, we have given them an extension. Some have requested up to the 23rd October. So, we are hoping that by 26 October, everyone would have responded and we will then incorporate them into our final report.”

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