The warrant of arrest issued against ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule in connection with the R255m asbestos tender corruption will have serious implications for the party due to his influence in the Free State.
This is according to political analysts who were reacting to the Hawks's confirmation that Magashule was expected to appear in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on Friday.
Magashule was the premier of Free State at the time when the controversial R255m asbestos eradication tender was awarded to controversial businessman Edwin Sodi's company. Sodi was arrested last month along with his co-accused and they are expected to make another appearance at the Bloemfontein high court today.
Political analyst Lukhona Mnguni said Magashule’s arrest has serious implications for the ANC due to his influence in the party.
He said those who have been asking for Magashule to step down will make a stronger push for that within the national executive committee (NEC) while his supporters will “want to stand up against those attempts”.
“When Cosatu tried to remove [Zwelinzima] Vavi as general secretary, it tore the federation apart. If you remove a secretary-general, it is an elected position. Some people start pushing for... a special conference and a motion to get rid of everybody. The ANC officially now enters a very uncertain period.”
Another analyst, Mzoxolo Mpolase, said Magashule’s warrant of arrest was an indictment on the ANC.
“It speaks volumes where the ANC is today ... The SA public has come to associate much of the corruption with the ANC. These are living examples of it, that indeed your sitting secretary-general, in fact the CEO of the party, now has to answer to a court of law for alleged corruption,” Mpolase said.
He doubts that Magashule will step down, as per the party's call to members who are facing serious charges.
“Ace does represent a faction within the ANC. If he were to step down, that would mean he is conceding to [President Cyril] Ramaphosa and whomever else in the ANC ...”
During a door-to-door campaign in Soweto ahead of by-elections, a defiant Magashule said he was “not worried” over his scheduled appearance in court on Friday on possible charges of corruption, claiming the enemy had infiltrated the ruling party.
“I will talk to my lawyers this afternoon. It [the arrest] has been [there] all the time so I’m not worried at all. The struggle continues,” Magashule said. He said no-one had told him when the warrant would reach him, while maintaining that he had done nothing wrong.
“If it happens, it happens, I’m not worried at all because I know I have not done anything wrong as a law-abiding citizen of SA,” he said.
ANC NEC member Dakota Legoete immediately came out to bat for Magashule, calling for members of the party to remain calm and support him.
“Comrade Ace Magashule, as a citizen, is protected by all laws, is protected by the constitution of the republic. He reserves his rights to remain silent. He will answer the calls at the judiciary at the relevant time once charges have been preferred against him,” Legoete said.
Approached for comment yesterday, ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe said he did not wish to comment on the warrant of arrest for Magashule.
“No, you see, I can’t comment on that as a matter of principle. The warrant of Magashule would not come to me, it would go to him, you see, and a warrant of Mantashe would not go to Magashule,” he said.
The state is seeking to recover R300m from those accused in the corruption scandal.
The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit last month attached assets belonging to Sodi and his six co-accused, including former Mangaung mayor Olly Mlamleli and the former head of department of Free State human settlements, Nthimotse Mokhesi.
It was not immediately clear what charges Magashule would face.
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said the party had learnt through media reports of the warrant of arrest for Magashule. He said the party would monitor developments closely and communicate on any update should the need arise.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.