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South African prosecutors on Monday issued an arrest warrant for Ace Magashule, one of the most powerful politicians in the troubled country and a key figure in the ruling African National Congress.
The move appeared to indicate a new willingness by authorities to act against alleged corruption, and is likely to be welcomed by Cyril Ramaphosa, the president, who has been under pressure for failing to address the issue since he took office nearly three years ago.
The order was issued in connection with Magashule’s alleged role in a $ 15 million contract to find and remove asbestos from homes in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Free State province.
Magashule is the secretary general of the ANC and therefore in charge of the day-to-day running of the party that has ruled South Africa since the end of the repressive and racist apartheid regime in 1994. He was Prime Minister of the Free State Province from 2009 to 2018, and so on at the time of the alleged corruption.
On Tuesday, the 61-year-old politician said he was “ready for anything” and claimed that the “enemy” had infiltrated the ruling party.
“I have done nothing wrong … I am a law-abiding citizen,” Magashule told reporters while campaigning in Soweto Township for the upcoming by-elections.
Analysts described the arrest warrant as significant.
“He is a very powerful individual and there have been reports of corruption surrounding him for years. It is an important moment for the rule of law and… sends a powerful message, ”said Judith February, governance expert and commentator.
A statement from the ANC He only said that the party would be “monitoring developments.”
Although Ramaphosa is not believed to have intervened in the move to prosecute Magashule, the arrest of a major political rival will be a welcome boost to the president’s continued efforts to impose his will on the bitterly divided ruling party.
“There are no heroes here. This should have happened a long time ago. But Ramaphosa will be happy. It is part of their anti-corruption agenda, ”said Ralph Mathekga, author and analyst.
Ramaphosa, a union activist turned wealthy mogul, is seen as the leader of the moderate and reformist wing of the ANC, while Magashule is the political heir to former President Jacob Zuma, who represents a more radical wing committed to strong redistribution of wealth. in South Africa. .
Zuma was forced to resign in 2017 amid accusations of systematic corruption and mismanagement.
“Within the ANC tensions remain and Ramaphosa remains the leader of the party, so any celebration will be very quiet. He is well aware that the consequences of any arrest of Magashule for the party are very unpredictable, ”said Mathekga.
Derek Hanekom, a former ANC minister and prominent Ramaphosa supporter, said prosecutors were “doing exactly what the constitution requires [and] applying the law without fear or favor ”.
“No one is above the law. Innocence can be established in court. Or guilt. But a fair hearing is guaranteed,” Hanekom said.
Public outrage has been building up for years, but in recent months it was fueled by a series of scandals involving massive sums won corruptly in government contracts for emergency supplies to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and grants to support the most needy.
There have also been a series of revelations about systematic corruption in the main public services and ministries in televised hearings of a judicial investigation.
In June, Ramaphosa ordered that prosecutors could use the evidence presented in the investigation, which could open hundreds of cases for further action.
“There is a lot of evidence in the public domain and that makes the arrest feel perfectly legitimate. The ANC is rotten, but I hope this is the beginning of a cleanup. But it will take a long time, ”February said.
In August, Ramaphosa said ANC officials should withdraw from their positions if accused of corruption and resign if convicted. However, the party has so far not applied the policy.
Magashule is scheduled to appear before magistrates in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State province, on Friday.
Although the country has been widely praised for its response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the crisis has dealt a severe blow to South Africa’s ailing economy, exacerbating unemployment, undermining public finances and derailing infrastructure projects.
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