Ace’s woes about to worsen as ANC mulls more charges

Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule could be in line to face disciplinary charges.

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On Tuesday, the party’s national working committee (NWC), through deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte, reiterated its disdain for the “defiant behaviour” of Magashule, national executive committee (NEC) member Tony Yengeni, and MK Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus.

Duarte was briefing the media after NWC’s meeting weekly meeting on Monday.

The three and others appeared at the Pietermaritzburg High Court last week in support of former president Jacob Zuma, during what was supposed to be the start of his arms deal corruption trial.

ALSO READ: ANC slams ‘ill-disciplined’ NEC members at Zuma’s trial

This was in direct contravention of the party’s instruction against members speaking out against the decisions of its high decision-making body, the NEC.

Duarte said the NWC would be looking into these “breaches of discipline, to investigate charges in line with the ANC constitution and code of conduct”

Last week, after the trio’s show of support to Zuma, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe slammed their defiance on SABC’s Morning Live.

ALSO READ: These are the ANC bigwigs who came out to support Zuma in his corruption case

Mabe said the behaviour of the NEC members was “ill-disciplined” and the party’s NWC and NEC would soon meet and reflect on what happened outside court.

“When we meet again either in the NWC or in the NEC, we shall be able to reflect on the developments, especially what we saw yesterday including the conduct of some of our own NEC members who decide to go against decisions of the NEC, decisions that are taken in meetings that they’re present in,” Mabe said.

During the briefing, Duarte also revealed that the ruling party now had an integrity appeals committee, which would consist of Vusi Khanyile, Mavivi Manzini, Josiah Jele, Dipuo Peters and Johnny De Lange.

The committee will be tasked with hearing appeals against judgments by the party’s integrity committee.