Embattled ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s move to widen the scope of the “step-aside” rule for criminally charged leaders suffered a blow yesterday when some provincial leaders rejected it.
In a leaked memo dated April 9, Magashule gave provinces until tomorrow evening to submit the list of those who had been “charged with corruption or other serious crimes and those who are alleged, reported or implicated in corrupt practices” as well as indicate if they had been personally informed in writing.
Both the ANC in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape rejected Magashule's move to widen the scope of those who needed to be included in the list to Luthuli House for consideration of suspension if they did not step aside from their positions voluntarily.
The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) resolved late last month that all those charged for corruption and other serious crimes had 30 days to leave their posts, including Magashule, or face suspension.
The NEC also instructed the party’s secretary-general's office (SGO), headed by Magashule and his deputy Jessie Duarte, to work with provinces “to identify all people affected and inform them of the decision”.
Magashule, who together with his backers had been critical of how the rule was being implemented, has however moved to widen the NEC’s stated scope to also include those who were not yet criminally charged but faced allegations of corruption.
Eastern Cape ANC spokesperson Loyiso Magqashela said the provincial structure had no plans to issue notices to members who were not charged.
“We have taken our cue from the decision of the NEC and this is what we are doing. All those formally charged for corruption and serious crimes must step aside. We are not including people who are being alleged but who are not in court,” Magqashela said.
In what appeared to be a jibe on Magashule's letter, Limpopo provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane said no amount of ink would change the collective decision of the NEC.
Lekganyane said he has written to regions to only submit the names of members facing criminal charges. "We vividly remember the decision of the NEC because we were in that meeting. All the regions in the province, through their branches, will give us names of those comrades," he said.
KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli said he did not want to jump to conclusions about Magashule's memo.
“When I got the memo, unlike other provinces which are dismayed, I was not because the organisation is dynamic. The national officials may have decided that they need more information than what the NEC had requested,” Ntuli said.
Ntuli, however, indicated that he had asked Magashule to clarify the memo.
“I just want to get the meaning of what the memo means about comrades who are implicated. Implicated by whom and in what sense? I feel the memo is too broad. It is correct for us to seek clarity from the SG to explain what exactly he means,” Ntuli said.
Magashule is left with only 15 days before he is expected to step aside or be suspended by the party.
ANC head of presidency Sibongile Besani said he had not seen the Magashule memo, but pointed out the NEC had made clear guidelines which dealt with who was affected.
“There is a comprehensive resolution from the national conference which covers the whole thing in relation to people who are alleged to be involved in corruption and wrongdoing as well as those who are criminally charged. There are then ANC NEC guidelines which specify how each of those must be dealt with,” Besani said.
Western Cape provincial coordinator Ronalda Nalumango said she was reluctant to express her view on the contentious matter as the interim structure had “not taken an organisation decision yet".
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