ANC tells Ace Magashule: Apologise or face disciplinary action

Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule's political missteps are coming back to haunt him.

Just a week after his ANC membership was temporarily suspended, the party's national executive committee — the party's highest decision-making body between conferences — wants Magashule to apologise publicly for the letter he wrote to party president Cyril Ramaphosa “suspending” him without the authority to do so.

Ramaphosa revealed on Monday that the NEC, which has been meeting for the past three days, discussed Magashule's “suspension” of the president.

“The NEC also discussed the so-called letter of suspension written by the secretary-general to the president for which the secretary-general had no authority or mandate from any structure of the movement,” Ramaphosa said while delivering his closing remarks.

“The NEC agreed that such conduct was completely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of the rules, the norms, and the values of the ANC,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the NEC further instructed its top officials to advise Magashule to apologise publicly to ANC structures and members within a set time frame.

“If he fails to do so, the ANC will institute disciplinary procedures in accordance with the ANC constitution,” said Ramaphosa.

This comes two days after Magashule, the ANC's top administrator, was booted out of the same meeting due to his suspended membership.

Ramaphosa also confirmed that ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte would carry out the secretary-general functions in Magashule's absence.

“The NEC reaffirms its full confidence in our deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte and supports her in carrying out her duties as per the ANC constitution,” he said.

NEC members also condemned “unwarranted attacks” on Duarte and ANC staff members at Luthuli House, whom Ramaphosa said had been subjected to threats, insults and unfounded allegations and misinformation for carrying out decisions of the NEC, NWC and officials.

He also revealed that there had been death threats made against Andries Nel, the former deputy minister of justice, who is now the ANC NEC co-ordinator. He said these would be reported to relevant authorities.

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