Ace Magashule’s ACT has more to worry about than lack of votes

It’s not all roses and sunshine for Ace Magashule’s African Congress for Transformation (ACT) party.

By late Friday, a small percentage of votes had trickled in for the former ANC secretary-general’s party.

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But votes could be the least of their problems as internal turmoil appears to be brewing within its ranks. It seems the party has witnessed resignations spanning several provinces, including Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

Former members of the party who submitted their resignation letters expressed concerns over the party’s lack of discipline, direction, governance and accountability after disclosing concerns regarding the absence of a robust constitutional framework within the organisation, branding it as unprofessional and susceptible to abuse of power.

One of the members said the only person who had a voice in the organisation was Magashule and noted he can’t be questioned or challenged on any decision made.

“Dictatorship and arrogance always surfaces in every province. His own people, families and friends are assigned to bigger positions and we weren’t informed. There is mismanagement of funds, lack of resources, nepotism and exploitation,” said the member, who did not want to be named.

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Themba Mazibuko, former provincial organiser in KZN, said there was no transparency from the party. He said the democracy was centralised towards a certain family.

He said the party was disorganised and recalled how the party’s president didn’t prepare for the manifesto launch. During the launch, the president “pointed to the back of a member’s T-shirt and said that was the manifesto, no documentation”.

“Before the former national coordinator Kwezi Toko resigned, there was an office, but after he resigned the party couldn’t pay rent and we were kicked out. They are now operating in restaurants and in their cars,” he said.

Further allegations noted pastors were not happy and churches associated with ACT party also wanted to pull out.

Members felt the pastors in the organisation diluted and contaminated the struggle with their presence in the organisation.