Political analyst Ralph Mathekga says suspended African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Ace Magashule, is likely buying time – by approaching the courts – to mobilise the party’s branches against the recent decisions made by the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC).
Magashule has served Luthuli House with court papers challenging the constitutionality of the party’s step-aside resolution that has resulted in his suspension.
Video: Suspended ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule takes ANC to court
Magashule was ordered by the NEC to apologize by Friday for allegedly trying to suspend party President Cyril Ramaphosa. Mathekga says with the courts entering the fray, this seems unlikely to happen.
“Once you bring in the courts, the ANC is losing control of this whole thing. The ANC is no longer an implementer, the ANC is now a party that has to respond to the way in which this policy has been formulated and so forth. It does buy him time to be in the political wonderland,” says Mathekga.
” If that buys him time while the court is processing, that gives him time to play politics with the branches around this thing,” says Mathekga.
Mathekga says for Magashule, it is all about escalating the matter to the branches.
“He seems to believe that the branches will have a different view to the way the ANC and the NEC has presided thus far,” says Mathekga.
Closing Remarks by @MYANC President @CyrilRamaphosa on occasion of the special NEC meeting held from the 8th of May 2021 until Monday the 10th of May 2021 #ANCNEC pic.twitter.com/VtUYSSxK1e
— African National Congress (@MYANC) May 10, 2021
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