ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule will finally stand in the dock tomorrow to answer to charges of corruption.
A warrant of arrest was issued for him on Tuesday. He is expected in court in Bloemfontein where he will be charged with corruption related to the asbestos project when he was the premier of the Free State.
Despite being implicated by a number of witnesses at the Zondo Commission, Magashule maintains that he has done nothing wrong.
“The Struggle continues,” he told reporters on Tuesday as the news of the warrant broke.
Like his followers, Magashule is claiming without basis that he is being persecuted through law enforcement agencies for political reasons.
Nonetheless, his arrest is hugely significant for a number of reasons. Magashule is one of the most senior leaders of the ANC.
He is effectively the man who runs its headquarters in Luthuli House. His arrest means his power and political influence which is far greater now than when the alleged crimes were committed in the Free State, can no longer shield him from accountability.
Second, Magashule represents a group of people in the ANC who are themselves either involved in or have benefitted from corrupt activities over the years.
As they did to former president Jacob Zuma before, they are strategically aligned to Magashule because his power and flawed character potentially provided the kind of political cover that could have shielded them from their own prosecution.
It provided them a safe environment to steal with impunity while claiming their deeds were to economically uplift black people.
His arrest therefore unsettles them, enough to prompt a massive fightback campaign aimed at undermining our criminal justice system and poisoning public discourse with dangerous political conspiracies.
Magashule’s case arguably heralds an even more turbulent period in our politics. The ANC will continue to tear itself apart in the interest of its own factional battles.
As citizens we ought to be vigilant.
Led by facts, we must agitate for what is right, a fair and proper administration of justice without fear, favour or prejudice.
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