Duarte blames Magashule’s backers for leaked recording of her – report

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte has reportedly blamed supporters of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule for the recently leaked audio recording of her.

In the clip, Duarte can be heard criticising the Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture and supporting former president Jacob Zuma’s decision not to appear before the commission in February.

The recording surfaced on social media this week and is from the ANC’s top six official’s meeting with Zuma last month in a bid to convince him to abide by a Constitutional Court order to appear and answer questions put by the commission.

LISTEN: ANC’s Jessie Duarte slams Zondo inquiry in leaked audio

In an interview with EWN on Thursday, Duarte said the recording was manipulated and meant to depict her as a person of low moral integrity.

“I am calling out the ANC secretary-general and I am asking him to respect the ANC and to call on his supporters to stop this,” Duarte said.

She said the recent leaks of audio clips from the ANC’s internal deliberations were meant to bring the party down, along with Magashule.

Magashule is among the ANC leaders facing pressure to step down from his position due to the party’s resolution that all members who are charged with corruption and other serious crimes should step aside before end of April. He faces fraud and corruption charges in the Bloemfontein High Court emanating from his tenure as Free State premier over an asbestos audit contract scandal.

ANC leaks will hurt party

Meanwhile, a political analyst warned on Wednesday the leaks from the ANC’s meetings would negatively affect the party.

Analyst Dr Dale McKinley said the ANC factions were clearly attempting to win the public relations battle on the party’s resolutions by embarrassing or exposing certain members they are opposed to.

“Leaks are essentially a way of manipulating public opinion and the media will immediately pick up on it and report it. Simply putting those things into the public, whether it’s a document that’s supposed to be internal that shows some people in a bad light.

“This is all meant for that kind of positioning and getting a leg up in the factional battle. That for me explains the fundamental basis for why we are seeing these kinds of leaks and as they get more intensive the more, should we say, nasty the battle gets,” he said.

READ NEXT: ANC will be the biggest loser from its internal leaks, says analyst

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