Zuma faction fast running out of road in the ANC

The indications are it will antagonise the Zuma faction and raise the tempo in their fightback.

The move came a day after party acting secretary-general Jessie Duarte accused the radical economic transformation (RET) grouping, of which Niehaus is a champion, of stealing the ANC’s policy concept and misusing it to pursue a factional political agenda.

Niehaus was put on ice for making “incendiary speeches”, including outside Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead.

Disciplinary action is now hanging over his head as Duarte, who wrote the suspension letter, said the party intended to institute disciplinary charges against him.

Yesterday, Niehaus confirmed his suspension and denied any wrongdoing. He said he would appeal as he believed he had been operating within the constraints of the law.

He has 10 days to appeal the sanction.

Dr Ralph Mathekga, a political expert, said: “Things are turning around in the ANC. This looks like a serious attempt to nudge the ANC in a different direction. This will cause more friction and a pushback will be attempted.

“The reality is that the ANC cannot continue on the wrong path. It is now risking losing elections and collapsing the state.”

According to political economy analyst Daniel Silke, the writing was on the wall for the RET forces within the ANC as the Ramaphosa leadership was acting against factions and ill-discipline in the party.

Silke said the message was clear that the ANC had begun a process to rid itself of wayward members. He said the action against Niehaus would increase tensions, as did Ace Magashule’s suspension, the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture versus Zuma and Zuma’s 15-month jail sentence, the implementation of the step-aside rule, the issue of nationalisation of the Reserve Bank and the differences over the interpretation of the radical economic policy.

“The ANC cannot just continue to gloss over these glaring misdemeanours.”

Silke said the Niehaus saga was linked to the Zuma and the Magashule sagas and it looked like all these individuals had reached the end of the road in the ANC.