ANC ‘step-aside’ resolution likely to hurt party in polls, predicts analyst

Members of the African National Congress (ANC)  who were expected to step aside on Friday because of corruption allegation charges against them have been given another week before they learn their fate.

This includes the party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule.

The party’s National Executive Committee gave the affected members 30 days in which to step aside or face suspension at its last meeting at the end of March.

But Sarakinsky believes they are playing political tactics to buy time.

“It is difficult to speculate what might happen  but it comes down to the politics of the ANC in that the people who have been accused of wrongdoing and requested to step aside are trying to push the envelope to see what group p they have in terms of convincing the resolution on step aside.

“But the other side of the  people who are trying to enforce the resolution is also uncertain, they are not sure if they are strong  or week and that is  why they are pushing the step aside rule so carefully.”

He adds that Magashule and others who have popularity amongst the branches are using that as an advantage to delay the decision.

“Magashule  and others knows that they have popularity on the branch and that’s why they want  the branch  to decide and that’s part of pushing the envelope both sides are being careful and they don’t  want to push too much and   that’s why we are seeing the delays and compromises.”

Although the corruption allegations have damaged the image of ANC as a brand,  Sarakinsky says the party has yet to pay the price at the ballot box.  

“I don’t think we can say that it’s going to have effects throughout the country in the same way, I think we are going to see  regional consequences. In the North West with (former premier) Supra Mahumapelo same thing in the Free State with Ace Magashule. We will see the effects regionally but  outside key provinces, it has created  an opportunity for the  party to rebuild the support.”

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