WITH THE clock ticking for ANC members affected by the “step aside” resolution, the ruling party’s secretary-general, Ace Magashule, appears to have widened the scope of those who should vacate their positions.
In a letter written on Friday and sent to the ANC’s nine provincial secretaries, Magashule said the list of the members who should step aside by the end of the month should include even those who have been implicated or alleged to be involved in wrongdoing but not yet charged.
This is in contrast to the resolution that was read out at the end of the last ANC national executive committee meeting on March 29.
“The NEC meeting on 26-28 March 2021 reaffirmed the resolutions of the 54th national conference on fighting crime and corruption and on credibility and integrity, as well as decisions of NEC meetings on 28-30 August and 6-9 December 2020 on the implementation of these resolutions. The NEC resolved that these resolutions of the 54th national conference must be implemented in line with the guidelines and procedures adopted by the NEC at its meeting on 13-14 February 2021.
“Provinces are requested to submit, by Thursday, 15 April 2021 at 17h00, the names of those members who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes and those who are alleged, reported or implicated in corrupt practices. Provinces must provide details of whether affected comrades have been informed personally, in writing . . .,” Magashule wrote to the secretaries.
In the NEC statement which was read out by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa it said only those charged with serious criminal offences should step aside. However, the resolution left a loophole for provincial chairmen and secretaries to change it as it said they should meet and refine the guidelines with Magashule’s office.
“All members who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, failing which they should be suspended in terms of Rule 25.70 of the ANC Constitution. The meeting emphasised that the 30-day period will be to enable the implementation of the decision in line with the guidelines, not to review the decision,” read the NEC resolution.
“The NEC also agreed that the provincial chairpersons and secretaries would meet with the national officials during that time to further refine the guidelines to ensure the resolution can be effectively and practically implemented. The Secretary General’s Office will work with the provinces to identify all people affected and inform them of the decision.”
ANC national spokesperson, Pule Mabe, did not immediately respond when asked whether the change of the scope as contained in the letter from Magashule was after provinces “refined the guidelines.”
– Political Bureau