‘Ball is in his court’ – Mbalula defends Magashule expulsion
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the party stands by its decision to expel his predecessor, Ace Magashule.
Mbalula briefed the media on Thursday on the outcome of the national working committee (NWC) meeting at the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg.
The secretary-general said Magashule was given ample time to explain to the integrity committee why he shouldn’t be shown the door.
In 2021 Magashule was suspended in accordance with the part’s step-aside rule after he was formally charged with corruption linked to the Free State asbestos project.
He subsequently and unsuccessfully attempted to suspend party president Cyril Ramaphosa, and was hauled before the committee, which found him guilty of bringing the party into disrepute.
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Mbalula said that while the decision was regrettable, the governing party was duty-bound to uphold its internal disciplinary processes.
“The ANC derives no joy in the expulsion of any member; hence comrade Ace was given time to mitigate against the recommended verdict of his expulsion.”
‘THE BALL IS IN HIS COURT'
Responding to the question whether this was the end of the road for the party and Magashule, who was once seen as a strong ally of former president Jacob Zuma and a member of the so-called ‘premier league’, Mbalula said it is up to the former Free State premier.
“He didn’t take up that opportunity to respond within seven days to expulsion. So, we don’t know what he is planning; to form a party, or to leave, or to still appeal to the national executive committee, or anything of that sort.
“All we know is that he said ‘the revolution continues’ and that he will respond at an appropriate time. We don’t know what that response is.
Mbalula stopped short of accusing the former secretary general of playing the victim when he was the one who chose not to exhaust all available avenues to secure his political future in the ANC.
“All we’ve seen is him going to ANC former leaders and presenting himself as a person who is in a dilemma when the options for him were there – in terms of the party processes. You can only be in a dilemma, or conundrum, politically, once you have exhausted all the processes.”
The secretary-general said the party has “unleashed” their structures to defend the ANC after supporters of Magashile were reportedly seen destroying party property in his name.
Mbalula warned the party would not allow the party to be distorted in the name of an individual.
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