THE ANC’s integrity commission has recommended that the party’s secretary general Ace Magashule must step aside with immediate effect.
According to a report dated December 14, the commission’s chairperson George Mashamba said Magashule should step aside until his fraud and corruption case has been finalized.
Mashamba said the embattled ANC secretary general had indicated during their meeting that he would not resist any sanctions.
“In his interaction with the IC, the secretary-general indicated he will never resist the decision of the NEC, even if he might not agree with it. However, in the unlikely event of resistance to this, the NEC should consider suspension pending the finalisation of the criminal case against him in terms of rule 25.70 of the ANC constitution,” said Mashamba.
ANC Spokesperson Pule Mabe said Magashule will remain in his position until all processes of the party have been explored.
“The secretary general remains in his position. The national executive committee (NEC) of the ANC and the national officials will discuss how the step aside rule will be implemented. The NEC is fully aware of the processes that needs to be taken,” said Mabe.
On Tuesday, Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (KMVA) has dismissed the integrity commission’s recommendations, saying they were factional and aimed at removing Magashule at all costs.
“We are very worried about the leakage of this report. It has been leaked intentionally to put pressure on the national officials of the ANC to take action against the secretary general. We are also disappointed with the decision of the integrity commission because it is not helping the ANC to unify itself,” said MKMVA leader Kebby Maphatsoe.
Meanwhile, DA nationals spokesperson Siviwe Gwarube said if the ANC was serious about corruption, Magashule and others facing serious criminal charges should step aside.
“The DA notes reports which indicate that the ANC Integrity Commission has recommended that Ace Magashule steps aside as Secretary General of the ANC pending the outcome his corruption charges. The DA has long held that the ANC is unable to act against their own corrupt leaders because the rot runs deep,” said Gwarube.
“It’s not enough to simply leave leaders like Magashule in key and influential positions while they await for the court processes to run its course. He, in particular yields significant power within the ANC and by extension across its governments. Left in this position, further looting of public money and resources could continue while we wait for the ANC as they drag their feet.”
Gwarube said the DA has no interest in the ANC’s internal processes which have yielded no results in fighting corruption and jailing those who have pillaged the national coffers over decades.
She said, however, that the ANC and its leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa cannot keep paying lip service to fighting corruption when many of the people who sit on the organization’s decision making structures – government positions and parliamentary benches – are suspected or accused of corruption.
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
