‘I can’t say anything’ – Magashule insists he did not get correspondence from ANC

Despite today being the last day to give reasons why the ANC should not expel him, former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has yet to do so.

Magashule confirmed to The Citizen yesterday that he had not made any submissions on why the party should not expel him.

“I do not know when is the due date. I have never received any communication except through the media, so I can’t say anything,” he said.

No representations

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said upon consulting with the chair of the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC), Dr Ralph Mgijima, Magashule had not made any representations to the committee.

“I can confirm that the NDC is yet to receive representations from the former secretary-general (SG). Do note though that the former SG still has until [Tuesday] to do so,” Bhengu said.

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On Tuesday last week, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula announced that Magashule had been given seven days to give reasons why he should not be expelled after he was found guilty of misconduct by the party’s NDC two weeks earlier.

The case relates to Magashule’s unilateral decision to pen a letter suspending party president Cyril Ramaphosa in accordance with the party’s step-aside resolution. At the time, he did not have the authority to suspend him.

Mbalula said the NDC had recommended that Magashule be expelled for his behaviour.

“The charged member [Magashule] is afforded seven calendar days from the date of being informed or becoming aware of this finding to make written submissions to the NDC through the office of the administrator to show cause why the ANC recommendation that [he] be expelled from the organisation should not be imposed as an appropriate sanction,” he said.

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Magashule was represented by former Mpumalanga premier and former ANC treasurer Mathews Phosa at the NDC, but he has since withdrew withdrawn his services.

Magashule still deciding what to do

However, Magashule said Phosa – who also represented then ANC Youth League president and now Economic Freedom fighters founder and leader Julius Malema when he was expelled from the party – was still waiting for a mandate from him to continue.

“Anybody who represents you, you instruct him, so he was still waiting for a fresh mandate from me. He has not received any fresh mandate but he is the one representing me,” he said.

Asked if it would still be a favourable environment to work in the ANC if the party rescinds its decision to expel him, Magashule said: “Let me wait until I decide what to do, I will tell you in about three days, I will respond to you.”

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– lungam@citizen.co.za