High-profile ANC members facing the chop from election candidate list?

High-profile members of the African National Congress (ANC) could potential be prohibited from being selected as candidates for Parliament.

The ANC’s integrity commission has reportedly issued a report recommending that more than 90 members be excluded from the party’s election candidate lists.

The report, which flagged ANC members implicated in corruption and widespread state capture, was recently handed over to the party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, ahead of the 8 March deadline for political parties to submit their candidate lists to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

ANC leaders facing the cut?

City Press reported that five out of the 97 members mentioned in the document were cleared by the ANC’s integrity commission, while 62 others have been referred for disciplinary hearings.

The commission, according to the publication, suggested that former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize; Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa; Deputy Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister David Mahlobo and former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo, among others, be cut from the list.

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The report has, however, cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in relation to the Phala Phala game farm scandal, while Mineral and Resources Minister, Gwede Mantashe was also exonerated over the Bosasa saga.

Security upgrades were done by Bosasa to Mantashe’s properties, which was not dispute by the ANC national chairperson.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has reportedly been cleared after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute him over sexual assault case.

ANC NEC to adopt report?

The ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) is now expected to consider the report on Monday.

The NEC will convene a meeting to discuss and approve the candidate lists.

The commission’s report won’t be made public, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri confirmed to City Press.

The ANC’s top seven leadership will reportedly also hold an emergency meeting to discuss the integrity commission’s report, a day before the IEC’s deadline.

ANC electoral committee

Former president Kgalema Motlanthe, who chairs the ANC’s electoral committee, previously indicated last year that members with criminal records, facing party disciplinary action, and charges in court will not be eligible to be nominated as candidates for Parliament and provincial legislatures.

Motlanthe said at an ANC rally held in December that candidates won’t be eligible for nomination if they have been found guilty by the ANC’s disciplinary committee, for contravening the party’s code of conduct, and had their membership suspended for any period in the 10 years.

“No candidate shall be eligible for nomination if his or her case has been finalised by the integrity commission and the national executive committee has approved and implemented the integrity commission’s recommendation for a suspension of membership or stepping aside from leadership or public office,” he told ANC members.

Meanwhile, the minimum requirement for an ANC member to serve as an MP is possessing a post-matric qualification.

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