Ace’s ‘explosive secrets’ trump card nothing but hot air

Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s claim of “explosive secrets” he shared with the party’s late deputy secretary-general, Jessie Duarte, was an empty threat, geared to win political mileage for those opposed to President Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of the December national elective conference, political analysts said yesterday.

Speaking to journalists at Duarte’s funeral on Sunday, Magashule made startling remarks about having shared “explosive secrets” about the ANC and its leaders when they secretly met former president Jacob Zuma in Johannesburg.

Magashule was quoted as saying his relationship with Duarte dated back to “struggle days”, having visited her home for “one-on-one discussions”.

“Some of the things of the movement should come out,” said Magashule.

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While downplaying the threat posed by these “explosive secrets” to Ramaphosa’s chances of being re-elected party president at the December ANC national conference, independent political analyst Dale McKinley, said Magashule was “a desperate man left out in the cold by the ANC”.

“I don’t read much into his remarks, because they remind me of what Zuma once said – warning his comrades not to push him too far, lest he spilled the beans about ANC leaders involved in corruption.

“If Magashule has something to reveal, let him do so.

“We did see the Arthur Fraser issue, but it seems to be going nowhere.”

He predicted an intensity of factional battles in the run-up to the national conference. “Closer to the ANC national conference, we expect to see factional battles turn nastier – something bound to create … a maelstrom within the ANC people worried about their future,” McKinley said.

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Independent political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga said the Magashule claims showed “it did not take long for ANC factions to go back to their respective trenches”.

“Clearly, they are using Jessie’s death to extract political mileage and I’m not surprised. If there is a scandal, it will come out.

“By promising to expose this makes one not understand the world in which ANC members live and rules being applied by the party to its members.

“If, not even a death can dissuade them from returning to their dirty tactics, [then] there are no rules,” said Mathekga.

University of Pretoria politics lecturer Roland Henwood said: “This illustrates a recurring theme within the ANC – always a future threat without any details.”

Ramaphosa, he said, was the only credible leader to assume presidency within the ANC. “Should he not get a second term, the ANC will be even more lethally damaged.”

– brians@citizen.co.za