Emotions are expected to run high this weekend when the ANC holds arguably one of its most important national executive committee (NEC) meetings.
The event is expected to nail ANC colours to the mast on the highly contested “step aside” issue as the party’s integrity commission is expected to present its report dating back to 2018.
This comes after the ANC NEC, its highest decision-making body between conferences, adopted the “step aside” guidelines, which make it clear that those who face criminal charges in court must immediately resign from their positions and present themselves to the party’s integrity commission.
The guidelines also say that should the affected member fail to voluntarily step aside, based on the seriousness of the charges, disciplinary processes must then commence and the member be summarily suspended.
Sources in the NEC have told Sunday Times Daily there are at least 10 integrity commission reports that are expected to be part of a heated debate at the meeting.
These reports include one on the ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, leaked in December, in which the integrity commission recommended that he immediately step down from his position, pending finalisation of his court case where he is facing allegations of corruption.
The other one is on president Cyril Ramaphosa about the use of money for individual campaigns for leadership positions.
I’m saying, if it’s a heated argument, that’s okay, isn’t it? Because it means we’re moving forward.
— ANC NEC insider
These are some of the reports that, according to the insider, Magashule has continuously failed to bring before the NEC.
“They will give us all that they have done since they took office, because they have never been given an opportunity to present their reports to the NEC,” an ANC NEC insider said.
“They are supposed to present directly to the NEC after sending those reports to the SG’s office for processing. Processing means the SGO (secretary-general’s office) must put it on the agenda and they must come and present directly to the NEC. They have not done that and that’s why we’re saying, we need the integrity commission to come and present and we will decide if we agree or not agree with them.”
The insider said they were expecting a lot of push back on some of these reports, especially the one on Magashule which, should the NEC agree with the recommendations, will see the former Free State premier vacate office.
“I’m saying, if it’s a heated argument, that’s OK, isn’t it? Because it means we’re moving forward,” the insider said.
The meeting is also expected to discuss the role of a grouping calling itself the radical economic transformation (RET) that has become a thorn in Ramaphosa’s side.
The ANC in the Eastern Cape is expected to bring up the grouping, which it believes is slowly becoming a formidable structure that could contest elections.
Lulama Ngcukayitobi, the party’s Eastern Cape secretary, this week said the ANC could no longer just fob off the grouping as a faction. And that they would bring, to the NEC, ways on how the party can deal with the structure led by a staffer in Magashule’s office, Carl Niehaus.
ANC NEC member Enoch Godongwana on Wednesday told Talk Radio 702 that the RET was not a recognised party structure, and that members of such a grouping were ill-disciplined.
“We don’t have an organisation inside the ANC which has been approved by the national executive of the ANC as a radically economic grouping. Any such grouping, and purporting to having a structure within the ANC, is unconstitutional and therefore committing a misconduct,” Godongwana said.
