ANC: Magashule ‘did not interfere’ with Integrity Commission report
The African National Congress (ANC) has denied reports that secretary-general Ace Magashule interfered with the work of the party’s Integrity Commission.
ANC spokesperson, Pule Mabe, says there have been reports in the media that Magashule manipulated the list of members called to appear in front of the commission.
The report has been in the spotlight since it emerged that Deputy President David Mabuza and several other prominent ANC members were asked to explain their conduct before the commission.
Mabuza is alleged to have prejudiced the integrity of the party and brought the organisation into disrepute.
Mabuza was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on Tuesday, while its also reported that ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe and Mosebenzi Zwane appeared before the commission.
The commission was tasked to review the party's list of candidates for the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces after several members were red-flagged due to allegations of corruption and state capture.
Mabe says the office of the secretary-general does not interfere with the work of the integrity commission, and that the commission needs to be given the space to do its work.
"We understand the role of the media plays, the media plays a very important role, one of keeping our people informed…empowering citizens. But we felt that with the kind of public pressure that has been out for insists, at the start of the work of the Integrity Commission this past weekend, you heard members of the media standing outside at the venue where the commission was conducting its own work.
"Now, while we are not opposed to people operating in all public spaces and where they deemed necessary, sometimes when a process like that is still ongoing, it’s only fair to allow the process to be conducted, so that we don't draw assumptions on what could be the outcome of an ongoing process," Mabe says.
Mabe adds that the ANC is not worried about making the integrity commission report public, he says the integrity commission is a structure of the ANC and it’s not a kangaroo court.
" Two the integrity commission is not a chapter nine institution, we derive our own exists from our own constitution, amended and adopted by the 54th conference.
“It’s the duty of the African National Congress to make a determination on how it wants to communicate outcomes and undertaking of its own structures like any other organisation.
"The ANC rejects attempts by wedge-drivers, found both within and outside our own organization and the media, whose sole intention is to sow divisions among leaders and members of the ANC. The ANC has a duty and responsibility to defend its unity and the integrity of its leadership and its processes against malicious and baseless attacks."
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