ANC makes U-turn on Tony Yengeni’s eligibility to stand for NEC position

ANC member Tony Yengeni has won his appeal to be eligible to stand in for a high-ranking position at the party’s 55th elective conference this weekend.

Yengeni was served with a letter last week disqualifying him from contesting the National Executive Committee (NEC) due to his fraud conviction.

This despite Yengeni not being nominated for any positions within the committee.

ALSO READ: Tony Yengeni barred from NEC nominations over fraud conviction

Expunged

The elective committee chairperson, Kgalema Motlanthe, found that his criminal record did not exist, having being expunged in terms of the law.

“The Electoral Commitee has duly decided to uphold your appeal based on the substantive reasons and proof of the expungement of your criminal records as furnished by yourselves.

“We therefore wish to confirm that you are no longer disqualified from being a candidate for the NEC position during the 55th national conference of the ANC to take place on 16-20 December 2022,” said Motlantle in a letter.

Motlanthe sent a letter to Yengeni on Friday, informing him that he will not be eligible for any position at the party’s 55^th elective conference, kick-starting on Friday, after a vetting process.

“The vetting information at our disposal reveals that you have a historical record of being found guilty of a serious crime in court of law for which the prison sentence had been more than six months.

“To be specific, you are summarily disqualified as a candidate for all NEC positions including additional members during the 55^th national conference as per following the rules which have been approved by the NEC,” said Motlanthe in the letter.

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Step-aside rule

During the ANC’s 54^th elective conference in 2017, the party declared members who were convicted of serious crimes could not stand for high positions.

Some ANC members believe the step-aside rule was targeting those who align with former president Jacob Zuma’s faction – including suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule.

All electoral committee members convicted of unethical, immoral conduct and those whose cases are still being heard or where a judgement or sentence is being appealed, are barred from any position at the upcoming conference.

Motlanthe also served former ANC women’s league chairperson Bathabile Dlamini the same letter as Yengeni on Thursday, disqualifying her from being a candidate, after she was convicted of perjury in March.

Dlamini was accused of having lied under oath while giving her testimony during an inquiry instituted by the Constitutional Court in 2018. She was handed over four-year suspended sentence and a fine of R200 000.

The former minister of social development has since taken the legal route against the electoral committee for her disqualification.

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