KZN ANC members ordered to write essays and apologise for bringing party into disrepute

17 October 2019 - 13:24 By SUTHENTIRA GOVENDER
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Fourteen members of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal were found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute.
Fourteen members of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal were found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute.
Image: Stephanie de Sakutin

Fourteen members of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal have been ordered to publicly apologise and each write a 600-word essay as part of their punishment for bringing the party into disrepute.

According to a statement issued by the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday, the 14 were found guilty by a disciplinary committee of contravening rule 25 of the party’s constitution. 

It is understood that some of them took part in marches in support of Zandile Gumede, before the former eThekwini mayor was axed.

“Ten party members were found guilty for wrongfully participating in marches to the ANC provincial office in May, June and July 2019 and further for participating or associating with conduct that disrupted an ANC meeting at the Moses Mabhida stadium on 16 August.”

Four party members were found guilty for “wrongfully participating” in a march to the ANC regional office in Pietermaritzburg on August 19.

“Twelve members were sanctioned with a two-year suspension from the party, conditionally suspended for three years.

“Aggravating factors were found in respect of two members. Consequently, their sanction was suspension of their membership for three years, conditionally suspended for five years,” said the statement.

The ANC added that all the members found guilty of contravening rule 25 of its  constitution were required to offer an immediate public apology.

“Further, the convicted members were each required, within 30 days, to submit a 600- word essay on democratic centralism, the negative effects of factionalism on the organisation, and the meaning of unity and renewal in the current phase of the organisation.”

According to the statement, the members in question have compiled and “offered an unreserved and unconditional public apology to the organisation, fully acknowledging that their conduct, among other things, brought the ANC into disrepute, subverted internal procedures of the ANC, disrupted the functioning of the relevant ANC office, constituted organised factional activity and impacted negatively on the unity of the ANC”.

The party said the guilty members also understood that a further breach of rule 25 was likely to have “serious disciplinary consequences, including expulsion from the party”.


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