‘Tennis ball’ Ace: Mbeki up next on Magashule consultation tour

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule says next and lastly on his list of consultation visits about the ruling party’s “step aside” resolution will be former president Thabo Mbeki.

Magashule, flanked by former ANC MP and convicted fraudster Tony Yengeni, was speaking to eNCA after he visited former president Jacob Zuma in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, on Thursday, seeking “guidance” on the hotly debated resolution.

“I’m consulting with veterans of our movement, former leaders of the ANC. From [former] treasurer-general Mathews Phosa – I’ve already consulted with him – to president Zuma. I’ve talked to comrade Kgalema [Motlanthe] to prepare for the meeting. And the last person I’ll be seeing will be president Mbeki,” Magashule said.

He described the meeting with Zuma as “wonderful”, saying it was not solely about the “step aside” issue. He said they also spoke about “politics of the revolution”, among other topics.

“It was wonderful. As you can see, I’m so fresh. I’m jumping like a tennis ball, up and down. I’m happy,” a boisterous Magashule said.

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Magashule and other ANC members charged with corruption and other serious crimes have until the end of April to voluntarily step down from their posts or face disciplinary action, according to a directive from the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC).

Magashule faces fraud and corruption charges in the Bloemfontein High Court, emanating from his tenure as Free State premier over an asbestos audit contract scandal.

Magashule also said that he would never leave the ANC, even when under strife from the party’s machinations.

“I’m not that leader of the ANC who will walk away and form another political party. I will remain and I will die in the African National Congress,” he said.

Earlier on Thursday, a group of ANC supporters on Thursday staged a protest outside Luthuli House, demanding that the resolutions taken by the ANC’s national general council in 2015 be rigorously implemented.

They said others such as President Cyril Ramaphosa, Fikile Mbalula, Gwede Mantashe, Pravin Gordhan, Senzo Mchunu, Zizi Kodwa, and many others implicated in corruption, also needed step aside and clear their names.

Watch the video below, courtesy of eNCA.

Additional reporting by Thapelo Lekabe and Siyanda Ndlovu