ANC’s failure to enforce step-aside rule brings integrity commission into question – expert

Achieving unity at all costs is behind the ANC being hesitant in dealing decisively with rogue elements within its ranks, according to political experts.

Despite the step-aside rule – meant to serve as a corrective measure against members facing criminal charges – ANC leaders, including included former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede, disgraced former health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, convicted ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini and national executive committee member Nomvula Mokonyane, have continued being politically active, with the party failing to take punitive steps against them.

ANC spokespersons Pule Mabe and Dakota Legoete did not respond to requests for comment or answer their phones.

Political analysts were yesterday unanimous in blaming the ANC’s stance on its resolve to place party unity as its top priority in the run-up to the December national elective conference.

University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood said: “What we are dealing with is a mix between the legal process and party politics – something which is no solution to ANC problems.“

The interest of the party in achieving unity at all costs, has been prioritised by the ruling party.

“The ANC inaction on members implicated in wrongdoing, has weakened the National Prosecuting Authority and affected the judiciary from functioning optimally.”

University of South Africa political science professor Dirk Kotze said the ruling party’s leadership feared a political backlash, should senior members be fired by the party.

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“Although these individuals should simply be dismissed by the ANC, there is fear that they might start mobilising against the current leadership – going to the extent of fuelling another split, as seen with the birth of Congress of the People and the Economic Freedom Fighters.

“With the ANC already weakened by loss of support in the recent local government polls, the party has become weary of the impact of further polarisation at leadership level,” said Kotze.

He said the ruling party’s failure to enforce the step-aside rule brought its integrity commission into question, with party president Cyril Ramaphosa’s supporters “not wanting anything that may breed new opponents, after the fallout with former president Jacob Zuma and suspended party secretary-general Ace Magashule”.

University of Johannesburg’s Prof Siphamandla Zondi said the ANC has conceded that challenges, which emanated within its ranks and leadership, were “long-standing problems”.

“The ANC no longer knows how to hold everyone to account for bringing the ANC into disrepute,” said Zondi.

“The problem is that the ANC does not hold its leaders who break its word to account.”

– brians@citizen.co.za