Johannesburg - Cracks within the governing party are getting wider and those who anticipated that the national executive committee (NEC) meeting of Monday and Tuesday this week would be a heated one, were vindicated.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa admitted in his political overview that there are divisions in the party and unlike in the past, they are now spiralling into the public arena and they are even alarming ordinary South Africans.
That admission raised eyebrows as reports emerged that Ramaphosa’s supporters were engaged in a verbal brawl with ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule and his supporters.
Ramaphosa’s allies, it is reported, wanted Magashule to step aside because he is facing corruption charges emanating from the Free State asbestos project worth R255 million and was last month hauled by the State to the Bloemfontein magistrate court.
IOL reported late on Sunday that while Ramaphosa’s foot soldiers were gunning for Magashule, there was a bitter pushback.
Magashule’s backers went after Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and called on Ramaphosa to fire him with immediate effect after he admitted to the Zondo commission that the ’Sars rogue unit' existed.
At the same virtual meeting, former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were surprise participants. It is believed their presence was to back the two main factions who are wrangling over the step-aside resolution.
In the end, Magashule survived and it appeared that neither faction was able to throw their weight around, effectively, a stalemate.
However, there appeared to be a compromise resolution - Magashule has to be subjected to the party’s integrity commission, where he is appearing on Saturday (today).
Closing the meeting, Ramaphosa said they welcome the move by Magashule to appear before the integrity commission, while the president’s critics said he has failed to push out his nemesis.
“It is in this regard that we welcome our secretary-general’s decision to present himself to the integrity commission on the 12th of December 2020. The officials (top six) will process the outcomes of that engagement and the determination by the integrity commission and report to the NWC (national working committee) and as well as the NEC within the broad context of the guidelines that needs to be put together,” Ramaphosa announced, while a stony-faced Magashule watched from the sidelines. .
While it was thought that Ramaphosa’s closing of the meeting was going to replace the traditional post-NEC meeting conferences, it became clear that was not the case.
Instead, Magashule on Thursday hosted the usual press conference and he used it to say the “step aside” resolution should not be abused. That was seen as a swipe at those who wanted him gone.
Magashule was asked questions regarding whether he would step aside if the Integrity Commission rules against him.
Magashule responded would only say: “The outcome of the Integrity Committee including its decision will be communicated to you by the national officials.”
Magashule added that punitive action against any member accused of corruption and fraud should be dealt with fairly and transparently.
The NEC meeting also resolved that the party’s annual January 8 statement rally would go to Limpopo, thus quashing an earlier pronouncement by Magashule that the January 8 Statement event would be held in his backyard, in Mangaung.
This was a clear indication that both factions in the ruling party want the rally to be hosted in friendly provinces where they enjoy huge support and cannot be booed or face any form of embarrassment.
Political Bureau