‘I’ll do as the ANC says’: Murder-accused Mandla Msibi on ‘step aside’ rule 

Newly elected ANC Mpumalanga treasurer Mandla Msibi, who faces murder and attempted murder charges, says he will step down from his position if the ANC asks him to do so.

Msibi was nominated and elected for the treasurer position in absentia at the ANC’s Mpumalanga 13th elective conference in eMalahleni this weekend.

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He was elected alongside the province’s new chairperson Mandla Ndlovu, deputy chair Speedy Mashilo, provincial secretary Muzi Chirwa and deputy provincial secretary, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali.

ANC ‘step aside’ resolution

However, Msibi’s election to the position could be short-lived as the ANC is expected to ask him to step aside, once again, pending his murder case.

This is in line with the governing party’s “step aside ” resolution, which requires all party members facing criminal charges to step down pending the conclusion of their court cases.

Msibi was asked to step down from his position as Mpumalanga agriculture MEC last year, shortly after he was charged by the National Prosecuting Authority on two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

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The charges stem from a shooting incident in Mbombela last year, in which two ANC members were shot and killed and another party member was wounded.

Msibi is currently out on R20,000 bail and denies the charges against him.

‘I’m not charged’

Msibi on Saturday said he would seek a meeting with the ANC’s newly elected leaders in the province, to present them with a recently acquired docket, that he claims clears him of the murder charges.

“You step aside when you are charged. According to my layman’s knowledge, I’m not charged here. When I engage with my legal team they share similar sentiments,” he said in an interview with eNCA.

Msibi said if he fails to argue his case before the ANC’s new leaders, he would gladly step aside.

He also said he intended to challenge the charges against him in the courts, describing the state’s case against him as a “fallacy”.

“I’m going to request a meeting with the elected officials of the ANC to present the charge sheet and this docket that, according to it, I’m not charged.

“The second thing, I’m going to seek their advice [and] if the ANC says ‘no, we see this you’re not charged, but please step aside,’ – I’ll do as the ANC says,” he said.

‘Disappointment’

Meanwhile, the ANC’s coordinator in the office of the secretary-general, Gwen Ramokgopa, told News24 Msibi’s election as provincial treasurer posed a challenge to the governing party.

She confirmed that the ANC would engage with Msibi soon.

“We will also engage with Mandla because he has acted ethically by stepping aside in the past.  We want him to consider even stepping down. There will always be an opportunity to serve the ANC,” Ramokgopa was quoted as saying.  

She said Msibi’s election in spite of his pending murder case was a disappointment. 

Acording to Ramokgopa, this demonstrated that the ANC’s “step-aside” rule had failed to translate to branches. 

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