President to make call on ANC lists
• Move to test Ramaphosa’s resolve to recast party as tough on graft
The ANC’s highest decisionmaking body has handed the party’s top brass, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, powers to decide the fate in the party of those accused of corruption, Business Day has learnt.
This is the outcome of a special meeting this week of the party’s national executive committee (NEC), which debated the guidelines for candidature ahead of the Friday deadline for submitting candidate lists to the Electoral Commission of SA.
The decision to put the matter in the hands of Ramaphosa will test his determination to recast the ANC as a party that is serious about fighting graft and restoring trust. The party is facing a strong challenge in the May elections from the DA, which has been campaigning on a platform of good governance, service delivery and economic growth, and from the EFF, which appeals to the poor and disaffected.
Whatever Ramaphosa and his team decide, it will have farreaching consequences as it will determine who represents the party and the government in the next five years. The decision will also test the party’s unity and cohesion, as well as its commitment to fighting corruption and state capture.
Two of the ANC’s top brass, national chair Gwede Mantashe and deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane, were implicated for having benefited from state capture.
Other prominent members mentioned in Raymond Zondo’s state capture report include Malusi Gigaba, Zizi Kodwa, Vincent Smith, Winnie Ngwenya, David Mahlobo, Siyabonga Cwele, Faith Muthambi and Mildred Oliphant.
A decision to exclude these members, effectively extending the step-aside rule as none of them has been charged in court, would align with the wishes of South Africans, who are disillusioned and angry at the party’s performance and conduct.
According to a 2023 survey by Afrobarometer, the majority of South Africans said corruption in the country was getting worse and the government was doing a poor job fighting it.
A decision to exclude would also be welcomed by the ANC Veterans League and integrity commission, which have argued strongly against those accused of state capture continuing as public representatives in the ANC’s name, sources said.
NEC members themselves argued late on Monday night that only those charged with graft should be excluded, according to two sources, who refused to give details of the outcome of the discussion.
The ANC has yet to formally announce its decision and is expected to hold a media conference after submitting its list to the Electoral Commission.
The ANC also has to decide whether to keep or drop senior ministers who are not NEC members from its list of preferred candidates. They include public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan and trade, industry & competition minister Ebrahim Patel.
Ahead of this week’s special NEC meeting, secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said 50% of the candidate list for the provincial legislatures and parliament would be retained. “That process looked at screening, integrity issues and performance because ... we need continuity. We look at the performance of those who [served] ... and 50% of those must be retained to avoid starting from scratch.”