Carl Niehaus resigns from ANC after expulsion appeal

Carl Niehaus has tendered his resignation as a member of the ruling party following his expulsion two weeks ago.

Niehaus said despite being expelled, his membership was maintained, and the expulsion was suspended as he filed an application to appeal the decision.

“I know there are those who will continue with their cheap Stratcom political propaganda, attempting to undermine the gravitas and importance of this decision by trying to argue I cannot resign from an organisation from which I have been expelled,” he said. 

Niehaus, a former Umkhonto WeSizwe (MK) member, was charged with six counts of misconduct and “foreign” ANC behaviour after public remarks he made last year during and after the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma for contempt of court for refusing to appear at the state capture inquiry.

“The national disciplinary committee (NDC) is of the view the charges for which the member has been found guilty are very serious. As such, the member’s plea that he be sanctioned with a reprimand if found guilty, is wholly inappropriate,” his expulsion letter read.

The former spokesperson for the disbanded MK Military Veterans Association said he instructed his legal representative, Dr Matthews Phosa, to withdraw his appeal against the “spurious, draconian, and illegal expulsion the kangaroo court of the national disciplinary committee so unilaterally and illegally imposed [on him]”.

“To proceed with my appeal will be illogical and a waste of time and effort. There is also no need for me to subject myself to the continuing farcical kangaroo court of the ANC national disciplinary committee, and by extension the national disciplinary committee of appeal.

“The trumped-up charges brought against me never had any shred of validity,” he said.

Niehaus’ charges included the comments he made on July 2 2021 outside KwaDakwadunuse, Zuma’s Nkandla home.

He told media live on national TV “the ruling of the Constitutional Court is a travesty of justice. [former] President Zuma’s legal problems were caused by political factionalism and shenanigans between state authorities, especially the National Prosecuting Authority and some politicians within the ANC”.

On June 29 this year, Niehaus attacked the judiciary, saying “our courts have clearly been captured. We are living in a dictatorship of the judiciary and the courts have become a tool for factional political battles to target certain politicians, while others are let off the hook”.

According to the NDC, it was unlikely Niehaus could be rehabilitated, hence the harsh sentence of expulsion.

The NDC found his behaviour brought the ANC into disrepute and his lack of remorse did not do him any favours.

In his resignation, Niehaus said he did not leave the party he joined 43 years ago, “it left him”.“

“The ANC of John Langalibalele Dube, Lillian Ngoyi, Charlotte Maxeke, Helen Joseph, Bram Fischer, Chief Albert Luthuli and Oliver Reginald Tambo has by design been deliberately killed,” he said. 

Niehaus accused “imposters of taking over, abusing the ANC colours and logo for a thing that is now in the slave-like service of white monopoly capital and western imperialism led by sell-outs and spies under the criminal mafia leadership of [President] Cyril Ramaphosa.

“Together with other truly committed comrades I have done everything within my ability to prevent this tragedy from unfolding. Sadly, the ANC is dead, and can no longer be saved,” he said.

Niehaus called on comrades who shared his views to join him by resigning from the ruling party.

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