ANC expels former MK member, suspends five others

A former Umkhonto we Sizwe cadre, Thabang ‘Mashiane’ Nkani based at Ekurhuleni, has been expelled from the ANC and the memberships of five others suspended in the region and at Tshwane due to allegations of disruptive behaviour during last year’s branch general meetings.

Nkani, who is a member of the MK Military Veterans Association, is registered as a member at Ward 70 branch in Ekurhuleni.

The other five are Ward 68 Clarence Lukhele branch secretary, Victor Malefane, and fellow branch members Johannes Setsoma, Joseph Rammela, Phumzile Masuku and Tshwane regional executive committee member who is also Ward 21 Eleanor Tokelo branch member, Eugene ‘Bonzo’ Modise. The party memberships of Malefane, Setsoma and Ramela were suspended for three years, and Masuku’s for two years, while Modise received a five-year suspension.

The six were found guilty of misconduct that emanated from alleged disorderly behaviour, sowing political disunity and divisions within the ANC and undermining the structures of the party. The provincial disciplinary committee (PDC) sat on Monday and took the decision against the six.

The group allegedly disrupted ANC branch general meetings in the wards in the run-up to the 2017 December elective national conference.

PDC chairperson Ismail Vadi said they were charged after the provincial working committee assessed the outcomes of the BGMS. The six members were immediately temporarily suspended and the matters referred to a disciplinary process.

They were said to have contravened various rules of the ANC’s constitution and the party deemed the offences as of a serious nature.

Vadi said the PDC ruling would send a stern warning to all ANC members that ill-discipline and disorderly conduct will not be tolerated among leaders and members of the party.

“The 54th ANC national conference identified member ill-discipline as a key challenge confronting the movement. It had resolved to address decisively acts of ill-discipline and misconduct emanating from its members in order to improve the electoral support and public standing of the ANC,” Vadi said.

Vadi said Nkani and the other members had the right to appeal against his committee ruling within 21 days, but the appeal would be limited to procedural irregularities and shall not deal with the merits of the PDC decision.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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