ANC needs to act against leaders fingered by Zondo or face a backlash

While the disciplinary process launched by ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula against three national executive committee (NEC) members could ignite the party’s renewal drive, political analysts have cautioned the move could have a backlash if all leaders fingered in the Zondo Commission are not punished.

Mbalula has asked the ANC’s integrity commission to resume disciplinary processes against NEC members Malusi Gigaba, David Mahlobo and Cedric Frolick – among several party heavyweights implicated in the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, headed by outgoing Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, into billions of taxpayers’ money siphoned through massive graft.

Corruption Watch executive director Karam Singh said the public should be guarded in its expectations and allow ANC processes play out – hoping the disciplinary process could “provide impetus to the much spoken renewal process and finally seeing the party deal with the issue of accountability for state capture”.

No selective step aside rule

Independent political analyst Sandile Swana and University of KwaZulu-Natal politics lecturer Zakhele Ndlovu warned of adverse implications in the ANC disciplinary processes, should the party be selective in dealing with those implicated by Zondo.

“The list of those accused must be treated evenly and without factionalism, to enforce the step aside resolution,” said Swana.

“This belated ethical cleansing is necessary, but the public needs superior service delivery on the most urgent basis.”

He said the biggest challenge was that some ANC members have taken the Zondo report on review – “something that will have varying degrees of success”.

“The integrity commission must have its own ethical standards to evaluate the reputational damage arising from the evidence and recommendations of the commission,” added Swana.

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Said Ndlovu: “We expect no favouritism or targeting of those from the opposing factions.

“The integrity commission needs to go after all those fingered by the Zondo commission if it does not want to be viewed as biased and be taken seriously.

“It cannot protect those in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s faction. It needs to deal with any culprit and refrain from being seen as soft on corruption.”

Ndlovu warned of “more divisions within the ANC, depending on individuals of the integrity commission who deal with and how the culprits’ matters are handled”.

“Names that stand out are those in the NEC top seven, which include chair Gwede Mantashe and first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane.

“Gwede is the trusted ally of Ramaphosa. If harsh punishment is meted out to him, this would severely weaken the president.

“Ramaphosa could be in a vulnerable position as he is now a lame-duck president who is facing his own problems with regard to the Phala Phala farm scandal,” said Ndlovu.

ANC leadership aware of consequences

University of Pretoria political science lecturer Roland Henwood said the ANC leadership was “becoming aware of the consequences” of senior party members implicated in state capture and corruption.

“Action against those implicated in the Zondo commission will probably lead to more tension and infighting in the ANC.

“In the long run, this may see a halt to the decline in legitimacy and possibly a return in some of the lost support for the ANC,” said Henwood.

But he ruled out any likelihood of “a return to the glory days of the ANC”.

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The problems, said Henwood, were “not limited to state capture but also driven by poor governance”.

“There is a general perception of corruption and a political elite more interested in its own interests than that of rank-and-file members and the rest of South Africa.

“Although the integrity commission has made strong comments, the body is not empowered to act decisively, not having received support from the NEC.

“The promise of the commission’s increased authority and real power to enforce its decisions, have not materialised to take action against members and leaders in breach of ANC rules and regulations,” said Henwood.

‘Not all ANC NEC members’

Political expert Melanie Verwoerd said while disciplinary action would lead to unhappiness against those fingered in state capture, “not all ANC NEC members” were corrupt.

“The vast majority of NEC members are not corrupt and want to see the ANC free of corruption.

“They are expressing approval of the disciplinary processes,” said Verwoerd.

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