ACT’s ‘dictator’ Ace Magashule out in the cold after mass resignations

Former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s dream of one day becoming the country’s head of state was dashed when his new political party began to unravel, with the apparent mass resignation of its Mpumalanga provincial leadership.

The disgruntled African Congress for Transformation (ACT) party provincial executive committee (PEC) members cited Magashule’s dictatorial leadership style as the cause for quitting.

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They said they would announce their new political home today. ACT is not contesting the Mpumalanga provincial legislature ballot and has not fielded candidates on its provincial list.

Magashule topped both the national and the 14-candidate Free State provincial list. ACT has fielded six candidates in the Eastern Cape, 14 in the Free State, eight in the North West and 10 in the Northern Cape.

Free State, the Western Cape and Mpumalanga have regional deployees to national.

Magashule rewarded the controversial former Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation boss, Berning Ntlemeza, with nominations for Eastern Cape premier and placed him in seventh on the national list.

Party unravelling

Independent political analyst, Goodenough Mashego said it was not surprising that ACT had begun to unravel so early in its life.

“Ace is not a national leader type. He was elevated by unhappy delegates from Mpumalanga to the ANC secretary-general position.

“For him to open a structure in Mpumalanga was a gamble because he does not have a chance there – he is unknown to the people in the province,” he said.

ACT could join forces with former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party after the election, as this was the intention of the former radical economic transformation members, Magashule, who is also an ex-Free State premier, had ambitions to challenge President Cyril Ramaphosa for the ANC presidency and as head of state.

But his ambitious career plans could be dashed as members begin to flee his small party. The PEC called it quits after Magashule allegedly “smuggled” two “strangers” from Mpumalanga onto the party’s national list without their knowledge.

The two were Cecil Mahlangu (fourth) and Jan Mahlangu (fifth), who had not been around to do the grassroots work.

According to ACT Mpumalanga provincial chair Makhaza Ntuli, who initiated the mass resignations, they had had enough of Magashule’s “dictatorship”, where he imposed decisions on structures.

Ntuli hinted they could join the little-known Economic Liberators Forum.

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Ntuli said the two candidates were relatives from the Nkangala district. Magashule allegedly told the PEC they had no choice but to put them on the list because there was a rush to send the party candidates lists to the Electoral Commission.

“We were on the ground working hard, but these Mahlangus were not there,” Ntuli said.

“We cannot promote people who have not done anything on the ground. We can’t campaign for people we don’t know.”

The community activist said they were also opposed to Magashule’s announcement that he would elevate defected ANC members to certain strategic positions in the party and on lists.

“We are tired of cadre deployment,” he said.

“On top of that, they do not give us money for an election campaign – they expect us to take from our pocket … or ask for donations, which we cannot do because our people are unemployed and poor.”

Ntuli vowed the PEC would take the 60 000-strong party membership with them. In a statement, ACT national spokesperson Mohau Khumalo said there was no leadership crisis in Mpumalanga and the individuals who had resigned were not PEC members.

Khumalo said: “Our PEC members are on our lists. None of those people are on our lists. Those could be imposters as far as we are concerned.”

He said the PEC structure appointed by NEC was still intact.