Ace Magashule gives Supra Mahumapelo a lifeline

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has given the embattled former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo a lifeline after the decision to suspend his party membership earlier this week.

Magashule has written to Mahumapelo telling him that his membership remains “intact” by virtue of him appealing his five-year suspension.

He said, in a letter dated April 29 2021, that the suspension of Mahumapelo's membership has been stayed.

This comes after the ANC membership of Mahumapelo and his co-accused, acting provincial ANC Women's League secretary Bitsa Lenkopane, were suspended for five years by the Interim Provincial Committee in the North West for sowing divisions in the party.

Magashule also wrote the same letter to Lenkopane.

“In your letter you have formally lodged your appeal against decision in terms of rule 25.36 of the constitution. Your appeal has been referred to the NDCA (national disciplinary committee of appeals). Your membership of the ANC remains intact,” Magashule wrote to the pair.

The pair’s membership of the ANC was suspended for five years this week after they were found guilty of running a parallel ANC structure that held a separate rally while a duly convened Siyanqoba rally was under way just a few metres away.

Mahumapelo was also found guilty of telling the mayor of JB Marks municipality, Kgotso Khumalo, to refuse to step aside when there was a recommendation that he do so.

The disciplinary committee also ordered that Mahumapelo and Lenkopane be removed from the list of ANC public representatives.

This meant Mahumapelo would have to step down from his parliamentary position of chairperson of the portfolio committee on tourism.

Mahumapelo was also ordered to go through a three-year mentorship programme on political leadership under former president Thabo Mbeki.

Lenkopane had to also go through a similar programme under Barbara Masekela “to assist her for a period of five years”.

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