ANC retaining step-aside policy ‘a lazy move’, says expert as Ramaphosa bruises RET faction

They came ready for a fight and to bludgeon Cyril Ramaphosa… but they went away bruised and battered.

The radical economic transformation (RET) faction of the ANC loyal to former president Jacob Zuma failed to get the party to scrap the “step-aside” rule which prevents many of their loyalists from standing for election.

The faction, led by the party’s KwaZulu-Natal delegation, had hoped to get the ANC policy conference to scrap the step-aside rule – and also to reject Ramaphosa’s plan to rescue Eskom.

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They lost on both counts. Ramaphosa’s effective victory, clothed though it was in soothing conciliatory tones, paves the way for a solid march for him and his supporters to the crucial end-of-year elective conference.

Again, the programme to renew the party initiated by Ramaphosa, received huge support as delegates to the policy conference resolved that “ANC renewal is unstoppable”.

Although the previous Nasrec resolution to nationalise the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) was reiterated this time around, all senior ANC leaders were of the view that there was nothing new in the latest decision as the status quo remained.

The conference said the bank should be restructured in way it should be fully owned by the people but such restructuring should take into account past implications to the fiscus.

But political analyst Prof Sandile Swana said the retention of the step-aside policy was still a “lazy move” by the ANC to delegate its duty to discipline its members according to its constitution, to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

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“It would have been better if they did not keep it, but rather charged ANC members according to ANC constitution.

“Sadly although the step-aside policy has been retained, it is still selective in its application,” Swana said.

He questioned the role of the criteria used by the ANC integrity commission (IC) when dealing with members who appear before it because the IC was not trans parent in its dealings.

“The impact of ethical behaviour is largely to the people, but most of those who go to the integrity commission come out smoking.

“We don’t know the criteria used by the commission to weigh explanations given by an accused member,” Swana said.

The expert said the Sarb nationalisation was about the state claiming back what belonged to the nation in terms of value.

Ramaphosa’s victory was written in the faces of his supporters from the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape who all insisted on the application of the rule.

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Every delegate from these provinces said it was a victory for the ANC and for the party renewal.

But the KwaZulu-Natal members left with long faces after their wish that the rule be abolished, was defeated.

The province earlier tried to lobby other provinces to support their stance but were rejected.

In his closing remarks and amid applause, Ramaphosa spoke with confidence as he pronounced that the step-aside was here to stay.

“The overwhelming view of the conference is for the retention of the step-aside provisions to enhance the integrity of the movement and its leadership,” he said.

“Conference also noted there are concerns on the perceived lack of consistency in the application and implementation of this policy. It was agreed this would receive urgent attention so as to apply the policy guidelines impartially, fairly and consistently.”

The gathering also endorsed the Zondo Commission report as a forming a basis to fight corruption.

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