Magashule says Mchunu should step aside, but ANC says there is no need for that

The former secretary-general of the ANC, Ace Magashule has criticised his former party’s step aside rule once more.

Magashule, who now leads his own political party, African Congress for Transformation (ACT), told the media on Sunday that he believes that police minister Senzo Mchunu should have been requested to step aside from his roles in the ANC and in parliament.

This comes after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, accused Mchunu of being linked to criminal gangs and interfering in police investigations.

Magashule had always claimed that the step-aside rule is meant to purge certain individuals from the ANC. He was first requested to step aside in 2020.

“Why did people act when there were allegations against us? Why were we requested to step aside?

“It’s not just when you are arrested that you should step aside, even the guidelines of the governing party say if there are serious allegations,” he said.

He briefed the media alongside the former Hawks boss, General Berning Ntlemeza.

According to Magashule, Ntlemeza was removed from his position because he was investigating politicians and members of parliament. But some in the ANC had accused Ntlemeza of factionalising the police.

“Ntlemeza was treated the same way, suspended because he had cases against certain ministers, and actually that is why he was removed from that position.

“We are saying hands off from those that are prepared to fight for justice,” he said.

Former Harks boss says Mkhwanazi has evidence

Speaking at the same briefing, Ntlemeza said he believes that Mkhwanazi has the evidence of the allegations he made against Mchunu.

“When I was analysing what he said, I could see that Gen Mkhwanazi has got evidence. There is evidence, when I was connecting the dots in terms of messages and his story, I can tell that Gen Mkhwanazi has evidence,” he said.

He said he believes Mkhwanazi revealed the explosive information he had to the media because he was frustrated with dealing with the matter internally.

“Mkhwanazi knows what is happening in KZN, people have been killed there for many years. So it was a serious issue if the minister is giving an instruction for the political killings task team to be closed,” he said.

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Mbalula explains how step aside works

On the other hand, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told the media in Cape Town on Sunday that his party is not using the step-aside rule selectively.

“There is no such thing as selective application of the step aside rule.

“Step aside deals with everyone, once you appear in court, the step aside rule will apply, once you are attested, the step aside rule will apply.

“You get arrested, you stand on your own, and the step aside rule applies,” he said,

Mbalula said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s placing Mchunu on special leave is a form of stepping aside.

He said the ANC will await the findings of the judicial commission of inquiry that will investigate the matter.

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