‘NEC rushing to implement step aside guidelines that are lacking’

The African National Congress (ANC) branches in the eThekwini region have pledged their support for the party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule and former president Jacob Zuma as the future of this camp hangs in the balance.

Members of the party gathered at the Durban Girls High School hall on Sunday to outline a detailed plan to support Magashule and Zuma as the branches believe that the ANC leaders, among others, were being targeted internally within the party.

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Addressing the media, ANC eThekwini branches spokesperson Ntando Khuzwayo said the national executive committee (NEC) did not follow the right processes in regards to the party’s step asides guidelines.

“The NEC cannot willingly suspend or amend resolutions to suit its internal fights. The resolutions says that you must only suspend those who fail to give an explanation or voluntarily step down… and for that to happen there must be some organisational process that must be followed,” he said.

Khuzwayo indicated the NEC had also failed to properly consult its branches over the guidelines.

“The NEC has rushed to implement guidelines which are lacking in terms of what are the recourse for the members. The NEC has only been communicating through the media and not a single meeting has been convened to deal with these matters of the guidelines,” he continued to say.

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He further revealed the branches were demanding the NEC to to convene a National General Council or a special national conference “if necessary”.

The branches have also called for the reinstatement of those have been affected the guidelines, Khuzwayo added.

Step aside rule

On Tuesday, ANC’s national working committee (NWC) reaffirmed a decision of the NEC taken in March 2021, that all members who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days.

The NEC had resolved to implement the party’s 2017 Nasrec conference resolution.

Stepping aside may include an ANC member relinquishing, forgoing or refraining from exercising her or his rights, duties and responsibilities as a member, office bearer or public representative.

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Magashule was among several ANC leaders affected by the resolution, but he was then suspended this week after he failed to step down from his position.

However, Magashule indicated that he would be active in the ANC while he awaits the outcome of his appeal regarding the suspension.

His suspension has been seen as a blow for the Zuma camp, which is trying to find a replacement for the former president, who operated from the sidelines, following his recall by the ANC in 2018.

Since Magashule was elected at Nasrec, Zuma followers looked to him to take over as their moral leader.

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