Shape up or ship out, warns Ace

Magashule’s notice to ANC Boland

ANC SECRETARY general Ace Magashule has given the party’s Boland regional structure an ultimatum to shape up by August 31 or ship out.

Magashule delivered the statement at a regional executive committee meeting in Paarl on Wednesday evening. This meeting came on the back of a provincial executive committee meeting held on Tuesday.

Among items discussed were allegations that suspended Boland region secretary Jonton Snyman stole R150 000 in funding meant for the provincial structure from the Motsepe foundation. The foundation had not responded to questions by the time of publication.

Two lists containing 40 names for a proposed regional task team have been leaked to the Weekend Argus, but leaders said they were riddled with errors in names and their allegiance. The lists were prepared in case the region didn’t meet Magashule’s deadline.

At least four highly placed sources in the ANC confirmed the allegations had been raised in the Wednesday meeting. In response, Snyman said: “I don’t know of such allegations.”

He referred questions to sec- retary Faiez Jacobs.

Sources said Jacobs also faces the possibility of appearing before the committee for the lists scandal before the party’s 2016 elections. Jacobs denied the allegations against Snyman.

John Schuurman, ANC Western Cape chairperson of the provincial disciplinary committee, said no formal charges had been brought before his committee.

“That is where people are making a mistake. The committee only deals with matters that are on our agenda. As far as I know, there are no such matters in front of us right now.

“I must explain to you that the first thing that comes before us is the charge sheet. Currently, there are no such charge sheets for both of them,” Schuurman said.

The ANC in the Western Cape is split into three factions: the Unity in Diversity, Continuity and the Renewal camps. Snyman is seen as the leader of the Unity in Diversity faction. Sources in the party say the Unity in Diversity camp was chastised in private by party leaders at the Women’s Day rally in Paarl last week.

“The national working committee takes this very seriously because Snyman is pushing a funder’s agenda. He’s creating a party within the party,” a source said.

“(Boland region chairman) Pat Marran said on Tuesday he could not work with this man (Snyman) because he’s corrupt. Sitting right next to Pat in the (regional executive committee) meeting, Snyman could not respond. Instead he said he was not alone in looting.”

Marran could not comment on the allegations.

Another source said: “We’ve been given two weeks to get our house in order. We want to go to the conference in our terms. We want Jonton out, he’s corrupt.”

“Young people of the ANC are on that list and are saying it’s high time. We’re taking over,” a source said.

Khaya Magaxa, ANC Western Cape acting chairperson, said he had no knowledge of the allegations against Snyman. He also did not know about the Wednesday meeting.

Jacobs added: “All the work we are doing and all the regions we are visiting, including Boland, is about renewing and building ANC structures as per Nasrec conference resolutions. We are hard at work (unseating) the DA in next year general election.”