ANC not consistent with discipline: analyst
Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni believes the ANC has not been consistent when it comes to disciplining members.
This comes after the ruling party suspended Western Cape provincial chairperson Marius Fransman for five years.
Fransman has been accused of sexual harassment by his former assistant, Louisa Wynand.
Fikeni believes the inconsistency is due to factionalism in party, with members of the dominant faction not treated as harshly as those opposed to President Jacob Zuma.
Fikeni, however, says the balance of forces are slowly changing as the status quo is challenged by the likes of ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu and Mathole Motshekga.
Fikeni says Fransman's suspension might yield positive results for the ANC.
"I do think it might actually be applauded, because increasingly the ANC has been trying to live up to the promise of its own resolution to say when people bring the party into disrepute, they will deal with them. The inconsistency, where powerful people are affected, is what might actually affect the ANC's credibility.