Financial Mail and Business Day

Ace Magashule as good as expelled, says an insider

Kgothatso Madisa and Hajra Omarjee

Former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule is on the verge of being expelled from the party after ignoring the deadline the party gave him to explain why he should not be cast out.

Unless Magashule appeals against the national disciplinary committee’s (NDC) decision within seven days, he faces the real risk of being thrown out into the political wilderness.

The NDC, led by party veteran Ralph Mgijima, has recommended the dismissal of Magashule and has given him until Tuesday to respond to the recommendation.

A senior party insider confirmed Magashule had not responded. “He’s as good as expelled now,” said the insider. Business Day contacted Magashule’s aides, who said that he will not respond immediately to the NDC decision.

The NDC found Magashule guilty of contravening several sections of the ANC constitution. That was after he failed to apologise for his decision to suspend party president Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2021 regarding his CR17 presidential campaign. Magashule issued a letter in which he suspended Ramaphosa just hours after he himself was suspended by the national working committee, which effected the step-aside rule over his asbestos corruption case in Bloemfontein.

The ANC took Magashule to the disciplinary committee where he was directed to issue an apology to Ramaphosa, ANC members and its structures.

Magashule failed to do so, and was again brought before the committee and given seven days to explain why he should not be expelled.

If Magashule is expelled from the ANC it could worsen factional tensions within the party. Magashule is among the ANC leaders who have been accused of facilitating state capture for then president Jacob Zuma’s associates, the Guptas.

While Magashule’s expulsion would be in line with the ANC’s reform agenda, it could also lead to the ANC further haemorrhaging support in the Free State in the 2024 general election. The

effect of Magashule’s probable expulsion will only be felt in the Free State, according to electoral analyst Wayne Sussman.

“One cannot underestimate that Magashule built a lot of ANC infrastructure there over two decades.

“If he were to form a political party in the Free State, the ANC is likely to lose some support in the Free State in the next elections,” said Sussman.

DISCIPLINARY

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula insisted on Wednesday that Magashule’s disciplinary process was fair.

“He is afforded seven calendar days from the day of being informed to make written submissions to the NDC to show cause why the ANC recommendation that the charged member be expelled should not be imposed as an appropriate sanction,” said Mbalula, while reading from the NDC findings and recommendations.

Political analyst Ongama Mtimka said: “The only good I can see from Ace Magashule being expelled is to set a precedent for what will not be tolerated in the ANC.

“But politically to expel Magashule would be like beating a dead snake,” said Mtimka.

He said there is no good reason for the ANC to expel Magashule. “Those that may want to push for Magashule’s expulsion would be doing what people in war sometimes do to make sure that the enemy, or in this case the opponent, is annihilated,” Mtimka said.

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2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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