ANC NEC: Magashule summoned, Ramaphosa to discuss CR17 campaign
ANC Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte said Ace Magashule needs to clarify comments made in July that he would not step aside if his accused of corruption.
Ace Magashule. Picture: Jacques Naude / African News Agency (ANA)
ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule has received a letter summoning him to appear before the party’s integrity commission, the party’s Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte confirmed on Sunday that
Appearing on eNCA’s The Fix, Duarte said Magashule needed to clarify his remarks during an interview in July where he stated he would not step down if he was accused of corruption. She said the secretary-general can not refuse to appear before the committee and that a meeting will be set up when it’s convenient for both.
Reports on Saturday confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa had approached the integrity committee to account for his CR17 campaign. Duarte said there will be only a discussion on the CR17 campaign.
Ramaphosa preemptively approached the integrity committee last week asking them for a chance to explain funding for his ANC presidential campaign that received more than R400 million in donations.
There have been calls from ANC members such as Mzwandile Masina for the president to step down until corruption allegations against him are resolved.
Masina stated that all ANC members who face charges of fraud and corruption must step aside as according to a resolution taken at the ANC’s Nasrec conference in late 2017.
Duarte said the NEC is yet to discuss the issue of Zandile Gumede and she was placed in a leadership position despite an ongoing corruption case.
Duarte said if an ANC member has allegations of corruption levelled against them, they need to step aside and that Gumede did that.
A member can not hold a position until their matter is concluded. However, Gumede could be a member of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial legislature, but she cannot perform any authoritative functions of the legislature. Duarte added that when an ANC member is convicted they would need to leave any positions that they occupy and the party will decide if their membership shall remain intact or be removed.
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