Cape Town – The ANC says the expelled secretary-general, Ace Magashule, has the freedom to decide what he wants to do following his expulsion.
The party claims that it has not received any communication from Magashule since his expulsion notice.
During a media briefing on the outcomes of the National Working Committee this week, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said that Magashule had failed to attend the National Disciplinary Committee hearing and did not provide written representations opposing his expulsion.
“We don’t know what he is planning, whether to form a political party or to leave or to appeal to the National Executive Committee or anything of that sort, we don’t know. What we know, is what we have read and have seen is that he said the revolution continues and that he will respond at the appropriate time.
“So, we don’t know … all that we have seen is the mobilisation on the ground which has failed successive attempts. We have seen [the] burning of ANC t-shirts under his name and him going to former ANC leaders presenting himself as being in a dilemma,” SABC quoted Mbalula as saying.
Earlier this week, Mbalula criticised a video showing people burning ANC regalia reportedly in protest against the expulsion of Magashule.
According to Times Live, Mbalula said that these actions were not genuine protests but planned activities by a small minority.
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“We are ready for this type of shenanigans. They have long been planned, but they are not spontaneous acts of people who are genuinely protesting for someone who has been expelled,” the report quoted Mbalula as saying on the sidelines of an ANC workshop over the weekend.
He accused Magashule of deliberately avoiding the disciplinary process.
The ANC officially expelled Magashule on Monday last week after he failed to respond to the party’s National Disciplinary Committee.
Magashule was found guilty of bringing the ANC into disrepute when he attempted to suspend President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2021.
He is also facing charges in connection with an asbestos tender in the Free State.
A report by EWN said that Mbalula also accused Magashule, of mobilising ANC members to join a new political party.
There have been rumours that Magashule planned to either form a new party or join the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the report said.
Mbalula, however, said that the ANC had no choice but to expel Magashule and that he had been given an opportunity to reconcile with the party.
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“The ANC derives no joy in the expulsion of any member. Comrade Ace was given time to mitigate against the recommended verdict,” the report quoted him as saying.
Mbalula added: “He’s been mobilising, hard at work in the areas of the Free State, mobilising our structures to join his movement and the pronouncements that other political parties are actually talking to him.”
Magashule was expected to hold a press conference to address the ANC’s decision.
Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema revealed that his party was in advanced discussions with Magashule about joining them.
Malema confirmed that discussions with Magashule were at an advanced stage, and the EFF will make an announcement when negotiations were concluded, reported The Citizen.
“I’m talking to him. We’re at an advanced stage of the discussions. Electoral politics are politics of numbers. It’s very important that you talk to everyone,” the report quoted Malema as saying.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
