Divisions run deep in ANC PEC
Xasa criticised for statement about Guptas
DEEP divisions within the ANC provincial executive committee were laid bare on Monday when some leaders used the meeting to criticise national leader Fikile Xasa.
This was after Xasa, when addressing Sunday’s provincial policy conference, called for party members to isolate Gupta supporters.
The Dispatch quoted Xasa saying, “it seems the Guptas are now governing SA and not the ANC.
“Those among us within the ANC who are allowing the Guptas to infiltrate us must be isolated. We must isolate the Guptas and their friends.”
The Dispatch can reveal today that in Xasa’s absence, ANC PEC member Andile Lungisa took a swipe at him, saying the cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) MEC’s statements were very divisive.
Lungisa is one of the key Eastern Cape supporters of Phumulo Masualle’s campaign to serve a third term as provincial chairman, and he supports Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma as the ANC’s presidential hopeful for the December conference.
Both Xasa and Eastern Cape provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane voted in favour of President Jacob Zuma’s removal as ANC president at the last NEC meeting, but Zuma’s supporters won the day.
Mabuyane and Xasa are in support of deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa to replace Zuma after the elective conference in December.
Zuma’s association with the Guptas has resulted in a growing number of ANC stalwarts, civic organisations and citizens calling on him to step down as the head of state.
The PEC members at the Monday meeting were reviewing the events of the Sunday policy conference.
Mabuyane confirmed the “brief” discussion on Xasa’s criticism of the Guptas at the policy conference, but said this had to be understood in the context of the NEC resolution to investigate the allegations that they had captured the state.
“The last NEC agreed to a judicial inquiry. His speech was in line with the NEC resolution.
“This matter cannot be viewed as a PEC resolution because it was raised by one person,” said Mabuyane.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Lungisa would not discuss what he said at the meeting, saying it was an “internal party discussion and we were reviewing the policy conference”.
“I can’t comment on discussions of an ANC meeting,” he added.
Xasa could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.