ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule gives a press briefing on February 13, 2018 on the outcome of the ANC National Executive Committee, in Johannesburg at the African National Congress Headquarters. Picture: AFP PHOTO
ANC allies are concerned about reports that the ANC secretary-general was part of a secret meeting with former president Jacob Zuma in a Durban beachfront hotel, in an alleged plot to have Ramaphosa removed as president.
The meeting was allegedly attended by former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo, ANC Women’s League secretary-general Meokgo Matuba, and KwaZulu-Natal ANC Youth League provincial secretary Kwazi Mshengu.
It was reportedly preceded by a bigger meeting with representatives from various provinces held at a hotel in Umhlanga Rocks.
Those said to have attended included Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Andile Lungisa, and former SAA board chair Dudu Myeni, a close associate of Zuma.
Analyst Mcebisi Ndletyana said judging by the way the officials behaved when confronted with the allegation was one of the things that showed the group were meeting over something sinister.
“When they were first confronted about the meeting, they denied it even took place, so you ask yourself: if it was an innocent meeting they would not need to deny it. The fact of denial is a dead giveaway.”
The ANC Youth League, however, did not want to say whether they believed the meeting was sinister, but expressed concern over the “general” idea of a plot to oust Ramaphosa.
They said it would derail the project of creating unity within the party.
Spokesperson Mondli Mkhize said ANCYL president Collen Maine had questioned Lungisa on his involvement, but the Eastern Cape politician denied the meeting was sinister. He apparently claimed he simply happened to be in the neighbourhood and went to “greet a comrade”.
Cosatu has called for the ANC to look into the matter.
National spokesperson Sizwe Pamla was speaking on the sidelines of the federation’s 13th national congress yesterday, and said it would be a terrible omission on the part of the current ANC national executive committee (NEC) if this matter was allowed to go unchallenged.
Cosatu would not, however, blame anyone at this stage, because they had no facts, he said.
Speaking before the start of an “ordinary” national working committee meeting at Luthuli House, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said he could not say whether the committee would discuss the Magashule issue, but said issues pertaining to the North West provincial executive would be on the agenda.
He said the meeting was likely to stretch into the night and he would only be able to discuss the outcome thereafter.
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