ANC’s ‘step-aside’ guidelines are a pipe dream, says political analyst

The ANC’s “step-aside” resolution on members facing serious criminal allegations may never be implemented

That’s the prediction of political analyst Ralph Mathekga after the party released its outcomes of the weekend’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday.

Anc Statement on the Outcomes of the Virtual Nec Held on 13 14 Feb by Siyanda Ndlovu on Scribd

“The renewal of and the unity of the ANC remains one of the key mandates of the NEC and the NEC was once again seized with the issue of credibility and integrity of the movement,” reads the party’s statement.

Mathekga said that factionalism within the party would play a major role in preventing the guidelines from being implemented.

“The issue here is the lack of political will. There are those that don’t want this because it seems to affect some of their allies or the political fortunes much more immediately. I don’t think the party is willing to push this through,” said Mathekga.

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He said that the party was still not at the point where they could do something about the procedures around the guidelines.

“They are talking about further consultation on this across provinces, they want to get together a committee to deal with this, to set the guidelines. My view is that there is no need to set up the guidelines. This issue of ‘step aside’ can easily be dealt with by just looking at the person who is charged.”

The guidelines will have serious implications on the fate of ANC members accused of wrongdoing.

This includes the party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule, who is out on R200,000 bail and faces 21 charges of fraud and corruption related to an asbestos removal tender during his tenure as the premier of the Free State.

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