By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The case against suspended ANC secretary general Ace Magashule and his co-accused has been postponed to 20 January next year.
The postponement comes after Magashule and the other accused petitioned the Supreme Court of Appeal to overturn a Bloemfontein High Court ruling which dismissed his application to have the case quashed.
Magashule and his 16 co-accused face multiple counts of fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Magashule addressed the media ahead of a pre-trial conference in the Bloemfontein High Court on Friday.
He said the delay is aimed at destroying the ANC.
“They keep on postponing the case quite deliberately because the intention is to kill the ANC. I am saying to members of the ANC throughout the country, do not allow the ANC to be killed and be part of the DA which is an ideological enemy.”
“You will see that we will save the ANC,” Magashule said.
He said he will be nominated and elected during the upcoming 55th National Elective Conference of the party in December.
Magashule and his 16 co-accused face over 70 charges, including theft, corruption and money laundering relating to a R255 million tender in 2014 to remove asbestos from houses in the Free State.
Flanked by suspended uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus, Magashule made his intentions clear when asked about the ANC elective conference.
“Once I’m nominated, I’m nominated. Nobody can stop me. I joined the ANC revolution; I was there in the struggle. It’s not a monopoly of any individual, the ANC is the movement of the people. I’m there my brother, I will be there today and tomorrow and any other day.”
Magashule maintains he is innocent and claims the charges against him are politically motivated and meant to prevent him from contesting leadership positions at the ANC’s upcoming elective conference.
In July, the ANC announced that members who are facing criminal charges wouldn’t be able to contest leadership positions in the governing party at the elective conference.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it could take years before the case is finalised.
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Video Courtesy of ENCA.