Ace Magashule suspension
5 May 2021
The FW de Klerk Foundation welcomes the immediate suspension of the ruling party’s secretary general, Ace Magashule, as well as other ANC members facing criminal charges - particularly corruption or other serious crimes.
The announcement by the ANC’s National Working Committee (NWC) was made on Tuesday and key people affected by the NWC’s decision, aside from Magashule, includes former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and KwaZulu-Natal deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu.
According to ANC national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, the National Working Committee has “reaffirmed the decision of the NEC held from 26 - 29 March 2021 that all members who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, failing which they should be suspended in terms of Rule 25.70 of the ANC Constitution.”
In terms of the rule the ANC’s constitution provides that “where a public representative, office-bearer or member has been indicted to appear in a court of law on any charge, the Secretary General or Provincial Secretary, acting on the authority of the NEC, the NWC, the PEC or the PWC, if satisfied that the temporary suspension of such public representative, office-bearer or member would be in the best interest of the organisation, may suspend such public representative, elected office-bearer or member and impose terms and conditions to regulate their participation and conduct during the suspension.”
The decision can be seen as a consolidation of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s power within the ANC in the ongoing factional battles between President Ramaphosa on the one side and former president Jacob Zuma and Ace Magashule at the other. It should also be welcomed as an important - and long-overdue - step to tackle corruption and take stern action against top ANC officials who stand accused of serious offences. The ANC’s factional battles have been negatively impacting governance and effective service delivery for far too long.
Issued by the FW de Klerk Foundation, 5 May 2021
