Carl Niehaus’ suspension not a good move, says Analyst

On Tuesday, the African National Congress (ANC) sent a letter to Niehaus, who is the spokesperson for uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans (MKMVA), informing him of the intention by the party to suspend him.

The ANC cites an attack on the party’s Deputy Secretary-General, Jessie Duarte, as the reason for the decision.

It follows the statement that Niehaus released on his social media last week and in which he complains that Duarte attacked him while he was recovering from what he calls “Covid-19 pneumonia”.

Mathekga is questioning the timing of the developments against Niehaus.

“Carl has been a very vocal figure of the Zuma supporters and he has taken a position against the current president of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa. So, a suspension of a person like that will be viewed as an attempt to sanction or get a viewpoint within the ANC.

“What I find interesting is why are they suspending him now. Why did they not do it all along? He has been controversial over the last five or so years, so the question is why now.

“It is also valid to ask why other members who are taking on each other are not suspended? We have the likes of Mzwandile Masina who express his views daily and no one has suspended him before,” adds Mathekga.

He believes there could be a changing of the guard within the party.

“To say something about another member of an ANC in a discouraging manner is not a big deal. They do that to each other almost on a daily basis, the question is why this is happening to Carl Neihaus. He must be terribly unlucky.

It could look like there is a new sheriff in the house, who needs to be taking tough action on members that are not behaving very well but the question is who is next? The very same members who support Niehaus are going to come out defending him if they all get suspended. This could mean suspending half of the party,” warns Mathekga

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