The ANC NEC has resolved to include the integrity commission report on the Phala Phala scandal in the party's organisational report to be tabled at the December 16-20 national elective conference.
This was confirmed by ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe after a daylong meeting at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.
The meeting was scheduled to process the report and resolve what should be done flowing from its recommendations.
But now ANC deputy president David Mabuza will table it as part of the organisational report before the conference.
“We can confirm to you that the NEC resolved that, and consistent with the resolution of conference, the report of the integrity commission would be included as part of the organisational report,” said Mabe.
Mabe added that the NEC was not relinquishing its authority to delegates but had “fully concluded its work” by signing off on the outstanding report of the commission to be tabled as part of the organisational report.
Mabuza will table the organisational report, which traditionally has been the duty of the ANC secretary-general as Ace Magashule is under suspension while his deputy Jessie Duarte died in July.
After its tabling, the organisational report is open to a plenary session where the more than 4,000 delegates can raise their hands and make inputs.
A section 89 independent panel report found ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has a prima facie case to answer regarding the Phala Phala farm robbery.
Nkenke Kekana, an ANC NEC member and key ally of acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile, has previously told the Sunday Times that only the national conference, and not the NEC, was capable of dealing with the Phala Phala matter.
“A matter like this one is better left to conference because conference will express its support for the president or its disapproval of the president. You do not want a situation where the NEC’s decision gets challenged by conference. Let’s allow conference to decide the fate of this sitting president,” said Kekana.
He said instead of debating whether to recall Ramaphosa, the NEC should command its parliamentary caucus to vote in favour of establishing an ad hoc committee that could lead to his impeachment.
“The caucus and the committee of parliament, now that the panel says there may be prima facie evidence, must start a process of engaging with the information that was collected by the panel — similar to what’s happening with the public protector,” he said.
He said former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were only recalled when they were no longer party presidents.
“I’m saying what the NEC cannot do at this stage is to recall the president or call on the president to resign.”
He said only the ANC’s integrity commission can ask Ramaphosa to step aside. The NEC could not take a decision to axe Ramaphosa because there would be no basis on which to do so. The integrity commission is expected to present a report to the NEC on December 9.
“The president is being judged on the issue of morality,” Kekana said.
“Now the thing about morality is, we have to say whether we approve or disapprove of the behaviour of the president based on a moral value ... whether something is good or bad, or right or wrong. Now if you want to make a call on morality and ethics ... the integrity committee is better placed to deal with this matter.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
ANC NEC leaves it to delegates to grill Ramaphosa on Phala Phala
Image: Foto24 / Cornel van Heerden
The ANC NEC has resolved to include the integrity commission report on the Phala Phala scandal in the party's organisational report to be tabled at the December 16-20 national elective conference.
This was confirmed by ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe after a daylong meeting at Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.
The meeting was scheduled to process the report and resolve what should be done flowing from its recommendations.
But now ANC deputy president David Mabuza will table it as part of the organisational report before the conference.
“We can confirm to you that the NEC resolved that, and consistent with the resolution of conference, the report of the integrity commission would be included as part of the organisational report,” said Mabe.
Mabe added that the NEC was not relinquishing its authority to delegates but had “fully concluded its work” by signing off on the outstanding report of the commission to be tabled as part of the organisational report.
Mabuza will table the organisational report, which traditionally has been the duty of the ANC secretary-general as Ace Magashule is under suspension while his deputy Jessie Duarte died in July.
After its tabling, the organisational report is open to a plenary session where the more than 4,000 delegates can raise their hands and make inputs.
A section 89 independent panel report found ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has a prima facie case to answer regarding the Phala Phala farm robbery.
Nkenke Kekana, an ANC NEC member and key ally of acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile, has previously told the Sunday Times that only the national conference, and not the NEC, was capable of dealing with the Phala Phala matter.
“A matter like this one is better left to conference because conference will express its support for the president or its disapproval of the president. You do not want a situation where the NEC’s decision gets challenged by conference. Let’s allow conference to decide the fate of this sitting president,” said Kekana.
He said instead of debating whether to recall Ramaphosa, the NEC should command its parliamentary caucus to vote in favour of establishing an ad hoc committee that could lead to his impeachment.
“The caucus and the committee of parliament, now that the panel says there may be prima facie evidence, must start a process of engaging with the information that was collected by the panel — similar to what’s happening with the public protector,” he said.
He said former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were only recalled when they were no longer party presidents.
“I’m saying what the NEC cannot do at this stage is to recall the president or call on the president to resign.”
He said only the ANC’s integrity commission can ask Ramaphosa to step aside. The NEC could not take a decision to axe Ramaphosa because there would be no basis on which to do so. The integrity commission is expected to present a report to the NEC on December 9.
“The president is being judged on the issue of morality,” Kekana said.
“Now the thing about morality is, we have to say whether we approve or disapprove of the behaviour of the president based on a moral value ... whether something is good or bad, or right or wrong. Now if you want to make a call on morality and ethics ... the integrity committee is better placed to deal with this matter.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE
If Ramaphosa loses his review we will demand he step down: ANC veterans
ANC does not need a repeat of the five years under Ramaphosa, says Gigaba
Zuma lobbies ANC branches to reject Ramaphosa and Mashatile reports at conference
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Related articles
Most read
Latest Videos