The Eastern Cape ANC this week suspended Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Andile Lungisa’s membership and recalled him from his municipal post after he was convicted of assault.

It was a clear-cut case that saw the implementation of the guidelines adopted by the party’s NEC on dealing with members who have been convicted or are facing charges. It was a living example of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s efforts to crack down on errant comrades.

In the same week, however, the Limpopo ANC accepted the NEC’s decision to allow provincial treasurer Danny Msiza and deputy chairperson Florence Radzilani to resume their duties after being suspended in 2018 for their alleged involvement in the looting of the VBS bank.

“The [Provincial Executive Committee] accepts the decision of the National Executive Committee and welcomes the two comrades to continue from where they left off,” said Limpopo provincial secretary Soviet Lekganyane in a statement on Tuesday.

“Their resumption of duties and responsibilities will, to a large measure, assist in our efforts to bring about stability in the ANC in the province,” he continued.

“Both comrades Florence and Danny were present at today’s meeting and recommitted themselves to serve the organisation and people of the province with utmost humility.”

The SACP and Cosatu were critical of the NEC’s July 2020 decision to reinstate the pair, but SACP Limpopo provincial secretary, Goodman Mitileni, said on Wednesday he respects the ANC’s independence, despite his stated misgivings.

In his report on VBS, commissioned by the Reserve Bank, advocate Terry Motau found Msiza was a “kingpin” of a scheme aimed at enticing municipal officials to make deposits with VBS. Msiza went to court and successfully had the findings against him set aside. The Reserve Bank is appealing the judgment.

Motau said Radzilani, who served as Vhembe mayor before resigning in the wake of the scandal, provided “one of the most illuminating examples of the rampant corruption and bribery that occurred”.

The pair’s return to office highlights challenges in Ramaphosa’s efforts to clean up the party and improve its public image, most recently dented by a string of corruption allegations linked to the procurement of PPE.

Msiza and Radzilani were suspended at the recommendation of the ANC Integrity Commission, led by George Mashamba.

In August the NEC said: “Cadres of the ANC who are reported to be involved in corrupt and other serious criminal practices must go to the Integrity Commission to explain themselves. Those who do not give an acceptable explanation may be suspended.”

Msiza and Radzilani have a valid case. Two years after they were suspended, the NPA has still not charged the pair, despite laying charges against multiple people allegedly involved in the looting. 

Msiza, meanwhile, scored a victory against the report that provided the basis for his suspension. The Integrity Commission’s views carry little official weight.

Ramaphosa appears to want to provide the Integrity Commission with additional resources and make its findings binding – a debate the party kicked forward in its 2017 Nasrec conference. Currently, the party’s NEC can choose to adopt, dismiss or ignore Integrity Commission reports.

The ANC now has clear guidelines on what to do when members are formally charged by the NPA, or convicted in court, but how the party holds comrades implicated in corruption accountable will continue to be done on an ad hoc basis for as long as the Integrity Commission lacks teeth and the NPA lacks capacity. DM