Ace Magashule has vowed to attend this weekend’s crucial national executive committee (NEC) meeting discussing his fate as secretary-general of the African National Congress (ANC).
Magashule said this on Friday during an interview with SABC.
“I am the secretary-general of the ANC and I have appealed all the illegal processes,” Magashule said, adding that he remained the secretary-general.
Magashule said the NEC had been conflicted in this matter.
“There are processes which one will argue when I appear before the appeals body. The NEC has been conflicted in this matter. They have been the judge, prosecutor, investigator and jury,” he said.
Magashule claimed that there were many senior ANC members and MECs, who had criminal charges against them but had not been ordered to step down.
Watch the video below, as Magashule speaks to SABC
“We all have rights as South Africans. We are accorded the same rights by the Constitution of the country and that of the ANC,” he said.
He said he had written to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ask them to reveal what criminal charges he faced.
The ANC this week, suspended the membership of Magashule until the finalisation of his court case.
This came as the party’s national working committee meeting on Monday, May 3, agreed that suspension letters should be issued to all those who faced formal charges or any other serious charges.
Magashule was currently out on R200 000 bail and charged with corruption, fraud and money laundering related to a Free State asbestos tender, dating back to his tenure as premier of the province.
In a letter dated May 3, ANC deputy secretary-general Jesse Duarte informed Magashule that he was temporarily suspended.
CR17 sealed bank statements
The letter said that Magashule would be prohibited from making public pronouncements.
“You may not engage in the mobilisation of ANC structures, any other organisations or individuals, including on your stepping aside and matters related thereto,” read part of the letter.
The letter also read: “You are required to update the office of the secretary-general on a monthly basis, regarding the progress with your case. The decision to temporarily suspend you will be reviewed by the NEC every six months or from time to time at your request.”
Magashule had refused to “step aside” or vacate his position within 30 days, as the ANC’s national executive instructed all members charged with corruption or other serious crimes to do at the end of March.
On Wednesday, a letter written by Magashule to Ramaphosa was leaked to the media. In the letter, Magashule informed ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa of his decision to suspend him in relation to the CR17 sealed bank statements.
State resources
According to EWN, a defiant Magashule said he remained in office because he had appealed the party’s decision to suspend him. He also claimed that he had the backing of the NEC to suspend Ramaphosa.
Magashule said he would no longer remain silent as state resources were being used against him and his allies, the report said.
But according to Times Live, ANC national chair Gwede Mantashe said Magashule’s letter had no consequence.
“Decisions in the ANC are taken by structures not individuals… [the intention] is to cause confusion and he [Magashule] is doing someone’s bidding,” Mantashe was quoted as saying, without, however, elaborating on whose instruction Magashule was acting.
“You can’t take decisions on your own in an organisation. It has no consequence. You can’t as an individual write a letter suspending another letter. It means I can also write a letter to somebody else to suspend him. There is no organisation that operates in such a manner,” said Mantashe.
Picture: Twitter/@samkelemaseko
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