LISTEN: Will Niehaus keep his word and ‘leave the ANC’ now that Ramaphosa’s been re-elected?

Now that Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected as president of the African National Congress (ANC) for a second term, many are wondering if uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veteran’s Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus will put the money where his mouth is and leave the party as he claimed he would do.

Promising to leave ANC

During a Twitter Space hosted by Niehaus about the ANC’s 55^th elective conference, he boasted that he will leave the ANC if Ramaphosa was re-elected.

“If the ANC fails in this conference, to take the right decisions, if it fails to remove Cyril Ramaphosa and that leadership around him that have sold us out, that are nothing more than a mafia gang…”

“If on the 20^th of December, Cyril Ramaphosa emerges to close the conference, I can no longer be a member of the African National Congress. That is when my long, very strong, in depth commitment to the ANC will come to an end.

“Not because I am leaving the ANC, but because the ANC in its failure to take the right decisions, in its return of Cyril Ramaphosa will have left me,” Niehaus said.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Carl Niehaus clashes with cops outside Parliament

Expelled from ANC

Niehaus was expelled by the ANC national disciplinary committee (NDC) earlier this month.

He faced six charges of misconduct in relation to comments he made in the lead-up to the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma last year.

The ANC accused him of bringing the party into disrepute.

Appeal

Niehaus said he had instructed his legal representatives to appeal a decision by the ANC NDC.

He said the NDC’s letter was disrespectful and unconstitutional.

“I’ve instructed [ANC veteran] Mathews Phosa that he must immediately file an appeal. I am very angry and I’m going to fight this to the hilt. It’s unacceptable. I will not accept it. I’m still a member of the ANC.”

Niehaus had not yet responded to The Citizen’s request for a comment at the time of publishing.

ALSO READ: ‘Shame, start your own party’: SA responds to Carl Niehaus’ expulsion