Magashule step-aside ruling a test of ANC’s integrity

The quote attributed to American author Mark Twain – “reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated” – is particularly apt when applied to the never-ending saga of Ace Magashule and the ANC’s step-aside order.

While many were celebrating the political death of the ANC secretary-general last night in the wake of the latest utterances by the party’s national working committee (NWC), you’ll forgive us if we continue to be Doubting Thomases.

After all, the ANC’s defining characteristic is its reluctance to deal with malfeasance in its ranks – or, at best, to allow whatever internal disciplinary or external legal processes there may be, to drag on, ad infinitum.

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The NWC – once again, ho hum – reiterated the stance of the national executive committee that those party members who refused to step aside while investigations were pending would be suspended.

It is not certain whether Magashule will accept that edict, especially given he has fought it tooth and nail up to now.

He may well try to challenge the party in court in a carbon copy of the drawn-out “Stalingrad defence” put up by his mentor and comrade in the radical economic transformation faction of the organisation, Jacob Zuma.

Yet, the positive signal in the political soap opera – at least if you are concerned about the ongoing looting across the country – is that the ANC has gone further than it has before to hold a senior leader accountable.

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The real test will be if the suspension order is actually served in the event Magashule continues to fight.

What is also interesting is that the secretary-general’s allies are disappearing faster that monies in a government tender.

ANC cadres are highly talented in seeing which way the wind is blowing. It could be chilly out there for Ace. And that’s no exaggeration.