ROAD TO ELECTIVE CONFERENCE
ANC electoral committee sinks Ace Magashule’s hopes of a December resurrection
The national conference rules set out by the ANC’s electoral committee rule out any possibility of suspended Secretary-General Ace Magashule running for the leadership of the party come December.
On Thursday, during a press briefing at Luthuli House, ANC electoral committee chair Kgalema Motlanthe sank the hopes of the suspended ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule for a political comeback in December.
In announcing the official rules of engagement for the ANC’s national conference due to take place in December, Motlanthe mentioned that those who had been temporarily suspended pending the outcome of a court case or disciplinary hearing would be prohibited from participating in any contestation.
Members who are temporarily suspended and are waiting for the the outcome of a court case or hearing will not be able to stand for leadership at the #ANCconference
— Queenin Masuabi (@Queenin_M) August 18, 2022
This is the exact dilemma that Magashule finds himself in. He was officially suspended from his position as secretary-general in May 2021 after being charged with corruption, fraud and money laundering in connection with the R255-million Free State asbestos scandal.
He was among officials who were given 30 days to step aside or face suspension. He was suspended after blatantly refusing to step aside. This was in line with ANC guidelines that members who have been criminally charged should step aside from their positions or be relieved of their official duties.
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The pre-trial proceedings for his corruption case were postponed to 23 September 2022 when he appeared at the Bloemfontein High Court in June. He said then that the case had tarnished his public image and that the delays had been deliberately created to prevent him from participating in the ANC leadership race.
The Constitutional Court last week dismissed his application for leave to appeal in his bid to have the suspension declared unlawful invalid and unconstitutional.
Read more in Daily Maverick: “Ace’s political ambitions ‘thwarted’… for now — political analyst on Magashule’s suspension appeal loss”
The electoral committee has further decided that members who have been found guilty of, or have been charged with unethical or immoral conduct, or any serious crime, or corruption, cannot contest. Members who have been found guilty by a disciplinary committee for contravening the ANC code of conduct, and had their membership suspended for any period in the past 10 years, will be prohibited from standing for leadership positions.
Financial records
To eliminate vote buying and the misappropriation of campaign funds, Motlanthe said the full financial record of every campaign had to be maintained and submitted to the electoral committee. In addition to this, the committee had the right to demand further particulars and to inspect the bank statements of candidates, campaigns and campaign workers and to interview members of campaign teams.
The electoral committee can demand the full disclosure of all assets, properties, investments, donations and gifts of any member involved. This will require the full cooperation of the nominee.
In its attempt to rid the party of slate politics, the committee has advocated for all campaigning to focus on the capacity and track record of each of the candidates. Slate politics have for years been entrenched in the ANC with members usually running for positions in groups, and barely ever individually.
National Executive Committee
The party will also elect its National Executive Committee (NEC) members at the end of the year with Motlanthe emphasising the importance of electing the best members to the 80-member structure.
Motlanthe says the success of the #ANC depends on the quality of NEC members: “In practice the NEC will not always act as a structure because in between meetings these members should be able to lead on their own.”
— Queenin Masuabi (@Queenin_M) August 18, 2022
“The ANC depends on its leadership to guide implementation of ANC policies and conference resolutions, and to make decisions in between national conferences. The National Executive Committee is the highest decision-making body after the conference and our success as a movement depends on the quality, capacity and makeup of our NEC.
“The NEC is the public face of the ANC and must be made up of leaders who reflect our values and represent the diversity of the South African people,” he said.
Motlanthe said that the NEC should also reflect a generational mix. At least 25% of members should be between the ages of 18 and 40. At least half of the nominees and elected members should be women and “we must include members of the different national groups in our country”.
The nomination process will begin on 7 September 2022. DM
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What an excellent move. Well done. Is this the ANC first sign of truly reinventing itself?
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Too little, too late. Read the writing on the wall and today’s article about rubbing shoulders with illegal tobacco. The ANC is dead while it remains a vehicle of nefarious activity and crooked leadership which includes its current president.
You don’t have to vote ANC but improvement in any political party should be welcomed – the alternative is is too ugly to contemplate.
@ricky rocker: is the demise and electoral defeat of the ANC really “too ugly to contemplate “? On the contrary it is to be welcomed!!
@jonathan as I say vote for whom you please – but would you really prefer the ANC to be encouraging another Zuma rather than actively preventing one? As far as I’m concerned any improvement is to be encouraged, as encouragementecan often lead to more.
ONE voice of reason in the ANC?? Will he be listened to? I often wonder what our country would be like if Motlanthe had become president instead of Zuma??
Hear hear!
Agree. Had high hopes for Motlanthe back in those days. What a disastrous outcome when Zuma cane in. Tragic.
Perhaps, maybe, you never know – there could be a young Madiba 2.0 out there ?