The South African National Civic Organization (Sanco), in the Free State, has vowed to challenge Ace Magashule’s suspension from the ANC in court. Magashule has refused to comply with his suspension after being charged with corruption.
He has denied the charges and has called the move unconstitutional.
Magashule says, as head of the ANC, he has suspended party President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Magashule’s corruption, fraud and money laundering charges are linked to a failed multi-million-rand asbestos project from the time when he was premier of the Free State.
Magashule’s suspension follows an ANC National Working Committee’s call to suspend members who have not voluntarily stepped aside after the expiry of the 30-day notice.
Free State Sanco spokesperson, Gift Poli, says they are demanding an early National Conference to remove what he calls “counter-revolutionaries”.
“The implementation of this DA clause is so unfortunate. It is the instruction by the Ruperts of this world, it is an instruction by the monopoly capital to ensure that all those people who are fighting for radical economic transformation are eliminated and they are removed from the ANC. So we are going to make sure that we encourage all the people affected by this DA clause to go to court and challenge it, but we are not going to tire we will make sure that we emerge very strong is just a temporary setback,” says Poli.
Meanwhile, ANC National Spokesperson Pule Mabe says it is a difficult time for the party.
“There will always be difficult moments in the ANC. The expectation is that when faced with such moments we must hold on to our unity and remind ourselves of the commitment we made when we went to subsequent conferences that the unity of the ANC is sacrosanct and that renewal requires that all of its cadres who are self-respecting must lead from the front and uphold the discipline of the African National Congress,” says Mabe.
Video: Unpacking latest developments in the ANC with Samkele Maseko:
