By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) is entering day 2 of its special meeting – following Saturday’s drama around its suspended Secretary-General Ace Magashule.
On Saturday Magashule, who was suspended because he is facing corruption charges, was booted out at the start of the meeting while one of his allies, Bongani Bongo – who is also facing corruption charges – was ousted later in the day.
NEC member and one of the party’s spokespersons, Dakota Legoete, said that the “NEC had become a liability to the nation” and has called for a special conference.
In a leaked audio recording from Saturday’s meeting,Legoete said there were many people in the ANC facing corruption.
“I think the matters of the suspension letters must be made clear when we leave this meeting. The other point that I think we have reached is that this NEC will become a liability to the nation and the structures. Narrow factions are not helping the movement,” said Legoete.
“I want to propose to provinces, regions and branches that we must either consider Rule 29 of the constitution of having a special conference. That’s because we have reached a point where we are not dealing with proper service delivery despite the pandemic, jobs, investments and infrastructure roll-out. We are stuck. If some of us are not prepared to repent and help the movement, move forward, then we must go for a special conference and apply Rule 29. We can’t continue like this,” he said.
Tensions are set to ratchet up on Sunday when branches in the powerful eThekwini region hosts a media briefing to unveil their plans regarding the ‘imminent arrest” of former president Jacob Zuma for defying the Constitutional Court order, and the removal of Ace Magashule from the NEC meeting.
Ntando Khuzwayo, spokesperson for the convening branches of the briefing, said they will also speak on implementation of the step-side resolution. He, however, refused to divulge the exact details of their plans to support Magashule and Zuma, but reiterated that the region’s branches were in full support of the two embattled ANC leaders.
Although reports emerging on Saturday confirmed that the suspended secretary-general was blocked from attending, he said that this was not the case.
Magashule said from 8am on Saturday he was part of the meeting with the ANC Women’s League National Working Committee (NWC), then had a meeting with the top 6 and then, at around 10am, he was part of a meeting discussing his appeal.
The detail of the step-aside process, the list of those who it will impact and the appeals process are all set to be part of the NEC’s discussions today.
The NEC meeting is set to close on Monday.