Gigaba questions ANC hypocrisy in leaked NEC meeting audio

THE ANC has been lambasted once again by one of its own, former finance minister Malusi Gigaba, in yet another leaked audio from the party’s NEC meeting on Sunday.

While the NEC seem to have stood firm on implementing one of the conference resolutions, Gigaba has questioned what he sees as the hypocrisy in its selective application of the step-aside decision.

In the recording, Gigaba is heard raising concerns about the step-aside guidelines not being aligned with the ANC constitution. He challenged the party to be consistent on how the guidelines were applied.

In support of ANC Kwazulu-natal branches’ proposal for a need for the National General Council to sit, Gigaba is heard saying the ANC should consider the proposal to further review the resolutions so that every member was treated equally. He also lashed out at the party’s Integrity Commission’s use of language, saying it was extremely harsh and degrading to refer to some members as “celebrities”.

“The Integrity Commission should be advised to restrain themselves on the language they use in certain instances because it might generate perceptions which are unnecessary,” he said.

Gigaba said the ANC should also consider former president Jacob Zuma’s constitutional concerns regarding his participation in the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.

He reiterated Zuma’s concerns about his rights being violated by the refusal of the commission’s chairperson, Justice Raymond Zondo, to recuse himself.

Zuma has accused Justice Zondo of having an agenda against him, claiming the judge would channel some of the commission’s witnesses to implicate him at any cost. Zuma has said he would rather face prison than testify at the commission and argued that the Constitutional Court had followed the commission’s lead by victimising him.

On secretary general (SG) Ace Magashule’s suspension, Gigaba said he supported the call for political engagement to resolve issues around the suspension, as these were serious matters affecting the party.

The ANC placed Magashule in a conundrum after its decision to suspend him and other members facing criminal charges without the option of an appeal.

After the suspension, a letter signed by a defiant Magashule suspending the party’s president Cyril Ramaphosa had surfaced in the media. Magashule confirmed the reports, saying he had suspended Ramaphosa with immediate effect.

The ANC NEC rejected Ramaphosa’s suspension, arguing that Magashule had crossed the line as he had no authority to suspend the president. According to a reliable source, Magashule and his staff have since been locked out at Luthuli House, with their work email addresses as well as building access cards deactivated, disabling them from communicating or accessing the premises.

The ANC has since released a statement raising concerns over leaked NEC meeting recordings exposing discussions during the sittings.

ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said that in terms of the ANC’S communication protocol, the leaking of confidential information may result in disciplinary action being taken against the guilty members or individuals.

“Any conduct involving leaking of confidential information shall constitute a violation of this communications protocol and the ANC has a responsibility to deal with this act of misconduct in the same way as it would deal with any act that brings the organisation into disrepute,” said Mabe.

On the step-aside guidelines, the party yesterday said a number of ANC members had stepped aside and others had been served with notices of suspension, including NEC member and former state security minister Bongani Bongo.

“During the step-aside period, a public representative may not occupy any executive office or other position of responsibility in the legislative to which they belong. During the stepaside period, they will be entitled to remuneration and other benefits.”

Mabe said that the NEC confirmed that in the light of the temporary suspension of the SG, deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte would carry out the SG functions.

On Ramaphosa’s suspension, the NEC agreed that such conduct was “completely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of the rules, norms and values of the ANC”.

The NEC further instructed officials to advise Magashule to publicly apologise to the ANC structures and members within a set time frame. Failing which, the ANC would institute disciplinary procedures in accordance with the ANC constitution.