‘Step aside’ resolution must be suspended, says Mahumapelo

Former ANC chairperson and North West premier Supra Mahumapelo says parts of the ANC’s 54th national conference resolutions in 2017 must be suspended until the next conference.

Addressing branches at the Delareyville town hall on the recent suspension of a number of prominent ANC members on Sunday, Mahumapelo said the ruling was causing unnecessary tension.

He suggested an engagement with corruption-accused members instead of “losing patience”.

“Parts of that resolution which are in conflict with the law must be suspended until we go to the next conference. By doing so, the ANC will be complying with its own resolution and the law of the country,” Mahumapelo said.

“Those who are accused must be called by the leadership so they can master the art of political engagement. The leadership must not run out of patience because it affects the standing of the ANC. Why is the leadership causing so much tension? Branches must write to the NEC and explain this problem. This way there will be peace in the ANC.”

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Mahumapelo said the ANC leadership should have taken the resolutions to lawyers to ensure they were not in conflict with the country’s Constitution.

He said the “step-aside” resolution in its present form was in conflict with the “innocent until proven guilty” rule of law.

The resolution, according to Mahumapelo, was also not clear on who should step aside.

“We just assumed it’s the integrity committee,” he said.

“What is the tool used to made such decisions? Who must step aside? I’m saying this resolution of the ANC, at the bottom it says the ANC must respect the Constitution and the rule of law. When we force you to step aside and when you don’t step aside, we push you to the disciplinary committee.

“By doing so we are flouting the Constitution of the republic because it says you are innocent until proven guilty. And the ANC must not flout the Constitution. The leaders should have taken the ANC resolution to the best lawyers in the country.”

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Branches ‘must confront the monster’

Mahumapelo called on branches to stand their ground and call the leadership of the ANC to order over some of its decisions.

“The last word in all the affairs of the ANC comes from the branches. When all else fails and becomes dysfunctional, the last hope of the ANC is its branches,” he said.

“We’re in a situation where there are some people with loaded guns and they’re going through high levels of political depression. The likelihood is that all the branches – a clause will be used to say you must be suspended as a branch or the branch must be dissolved because of high levels of political depression. When you’re led by such people, you’re facing danger all the time, but don’t run away. You must confront the monster.”

He further slammed “political morons” who don’t respect the branches and those who criticised his decision to address branches after his ANC membership was temporarily suspended by the party’s interim provincial committee in the North West.

“Those who are not active in their branches don’t know that when the branch say you must come, you have to be there. You can’t make excuses. So the branch on ward 12 called me.”

Watch full address below: