The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has tightened loopholes in its rule on leaders facing criminal charges after some of those leaders abused loopholes in the rule by being elected to office and causing “serious reputational damage” to the party, as well as confusion. .
More changes could be in the offing, as the party has asked officials “to investigate and make proposals regarding any further amendments required for the effective implementation of the resolution.”
An official has hinted that some of these measures could involve political education and more “thinking” on the matter by branch delegates.
After a special meeting on Sunday and Monday, the NEC agreed that “any member who has voluntarily stepped aside after indictment to appear in a court of law on any charge” should not be allowed to run for a position in a branch, regional, provincial or national executive committee.
It also stipulated that this applied to those who had been suspended under rule 25.70 of the party statutes after such an allegation.
The party’s general secretary, Ace Magashule, was suspended just over a year ago after refusing to resign voluntarily following a corruption charge. Recently, there were indications from Magashule’s side that he was hoping for a political comeback, as he issued a statement on his own behalf, but this would prevent him from returning while corruption charges are pending.
‘Any charge’ applies
The wording of the statement seems to imply that the step-aside rule would not only apply to “corruption or other serious crimes” such as stipulated by the NEC after their meeting on this at the end of March last year, as well as for their 2017 conference in Nasrec, but at “any charge”.
This would have to do with someone like the former president of the ANC Women’s League, Bathabile Dlamini, who has refused to step aside voluntarily after she was found guilty of perjury this month, leaving the NEC divided on whether perjury is a crime serious enough to warrant compelling her. to lower
Dlamini will appear before the party’s Integrity Commission, the NEC said in its statement, in which it also announced that the women’s league had been dissolved and replaced by a national task force to bring the league into an elective conference.
The party’s National Work Committee will decide on the composition and terms of reference of the work team. The structures that newly elected leaders facing office are unlikely to have to hold their conferences again.
Former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede, who is facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering, was recently elected president of the eThekwini region ANC, while former MEC Mandla Msibi was elected treasurer of the Mpumalanga ANC despite facing murder charges. Both stepped aside shortly after being elected.
Senior ANC leaders have said it would be difficult, legally and politically, to apply the latest NEC decision retrospectively.
ANC General Treasurer Paul Mashatile will clear up questions about the latest decision at a press conference at Luthuli House on Thursday afternoon.
The latest decision appears to have been aimed at neutralizing potential attempts by leaders to thwart the party’s national elective conference in December by staging a revolt against the stand-by rule, which some critics of President Cyril Ramaphosa have claimed is a way to keep them out. of leadership positions.
But in its statement, the NEC said that the implementation of this rule “constitutes an important and groundbreaking element in the renewal and reconstruction of the organization”.
Surveys a ‘concern’ per party
Perceptions that the party’s leadership is corrupt have influenced electoral behaviour, with one source saying the party was concerned about its own polls, which indicate its electoral support could fall below 50% in former strongholds in 2024. .
The NEC said in its statement that it held the position that “as a liberation movement and ruling party, our leaders must be above reproach, and any misconduct or dishonesty must be dealt with seriously and consistently.”
He also said that his leadership guidelines document entitled Through the eye of a needle states that “a leader must lead by example. He must be irreproachable in his political and social conduct, as defined by our revolutionary morality.”
Leaders are also supposed to be role models for ANC members as well as non-members, and their lives must be “free from corrupt practices”.
Meanwhile, in Gauteng, Provincial Secretary Jacob Khawe has Become the last leader to step aside. after allegations that he assaulted his wife. EWN reported that a special meeting of the Provincial Executive Committee was held after these allegations were published in the sunday time and that Khawe offered to step aside.
The provincial women’s league said it would accompany Khawe’s wife to the police station to file a complaint.
The NEC also provided clarity at its meeting this week on an issue that has been disputed in recent elective conferences, by ruling that unelected, interim party provincial, regional or regional structures may participate in elective conferences.
“In terms of the ANC constitution, such interim structures fulfill the functions of the BEC, REC or PEC,” he said, referring to the sectional, regional and provincial executive committees. “Accordingly, the NEC affirmed the right of the members of said interim structures to attend ex officio as full participants and as delegates to regional or provincial conferences.”
Since many of these interim structures are friendly to the current NEC, this move could tip voting delegates at conferences in favor of the national incumbent. MD
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Reference-www.dailymaverick.co.za