Embattled ANC SG Ace Magashule may have chewed more than he can swallow as NWC resolves to suspend those charged. Photo: News24
The National Working Committee NWC of the African National Congress (ANC) has announced on Tuesday that members who are being charged with corruption and other serious crimes and have not stepped aside will be served with suspension letters. In a statement that was released this afternoon, the ANC said that it would write to members that are affected by this resolution informing them of their status with the party.
While a lot of attention is drawn to Ace Magashule, who is the current Secretary-General of the ANC, a source inside the NWC emphasized that the discussion discussed all members in general as they were trying as much as possible not to “make this an Ace Magashule issue.” This follows reports that the embattled SG had informed the party leaders in the NEC that he would not be stepping aside voluntarily at the weekend.
The NWC, in its statement on Tuesday, said that it had received reports from the provinces which listed the names of those individuals who were affected by this decision. The committee further instructed the Treasurer General, Paul Mashatile, to “firm up” the guidelines of what happens while the member was serving his or her suspension. “The NWC also received reports from the national officials …. On the terms and conditions regulating the participation and conduct of members during the period that they step aside voluntarily,” read part of the statement. Another source within the NWC added that the committee had then decided that suspensions must “now kick in.” Another decision that was taken was to set up a panel of party veterans that would hear appeals from those members that had been affected by the step aside resolution. It was further recommended that cases would be heard every six months.
Speaking on the sidelines of this momentous resolution, another ANC insider said that it was anticipated that there were going to be appeals to the step aside resolution. This follows a report this week that an ANC MP said he did not rule out approaching the courts if his appeal within the ANC structures was not successful.
