ANC working committee gives the go-ahead to suspend Ace Magashule

As ANC political heavyweight Mike Mabuyakhulu became the first to fall on his sword and abide by the party’s stepaside resolution, there was little indication that party secretary-general Ace Magashule would do the same.

The ANC’s national working committee (NWC) said yesterday that leaders facing corruption charges and other serious crimes, including Magashule, would be suspended.

Mabuyakhulu, the party’s deputy chair in KwaZulu-Natal, became the first implicated senior party member to accept his fate.

In a letter that emerged yesterday, Mabuyakhulu earlier this month wrote to provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli informing him of his decision to step down.

Mabuyakhulu faces charges of corruption related to a R28m North Sea Jazz Festival case.

He is out on R50,000 bail. On Monday night, the NWC instructed the secretary-general’s office to write letters to all members affected by the rule.

NWC members said because Magashule was one of them, his deputy, Jessie Duarte, was expected to draft the letters.

“Those who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes and who have not stepped aside should be suspended in terms of Rule 25.70 of the ANC constitution,” ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said regarding the NWC decision.

“The NWC instructed that the necessary letters must be written to the affected members ... outlining the terms and conditions regulating their participation and conduct during the suspension.”

Other leaders who will be affected include former state security minister Bongani Bongo and former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede.

But the decision is expected to spark fierce debate at this weekend’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting, starting on Saturday.

Magashule’s backers are expected to mount a pushback at the meeting. Magashule faces several corruption charges relating to a multimillion-rand asbestos eradication tender and is expected to step down from his position.

It is understood, however, that he will not go down without a fight, which will force the party to suspend him.

It is then expected that he will seek to appeal against that decision.

ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile is working against the clock to formulate the appeal processes over the stepaside resolution.

The guidelines formulated around step-aside did not spell out the appeals process, which Mashatile is now rushing to complete ahead of the NEC meeting this weekend.

“ANC officials have asked me to look at tightening up the process of appeal, including timelines,” Mashatile said.

“It’s not in the current guidelines.

“The current guidelines just say if you appeal, you appeal to the NEC and the NEC can then appoint a panel to hear you.

“So they want us to make it tighter, including timelines on how many days are you allowed to appeal.”

According to Mashatile, he will also be seeking legal advice on whether the affected member remains on suspension while appealing.

“We need to define that if you appeal, whether you can keep your position or not.

“The likelihood is that people will wish to keep their positions but the NEC must agree to that, so we will be finalising that soon,” he said.