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ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule.
- ANC structures should not “dissociate” from leaders “on the basis of accusations,” according to the ANC in the Free State.
- The leadership also reaffirmed its support for Ace Magashule because he is innocent until proven guilty.
- The province has established a team to promote party unity.
ANC structures should not “dissociate” from leaders “on the basis of accusations,” the ANC warned in the Free State.
He has also “reaffirmed” his support for the ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule, accused of corruption.
The charges against Magashule date back to the time he was prime minister of the province.
ANC provincial secretary Paseka Nompondo told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that the provincial executive committee (PEC) welcomed the “decision” of the national executive committee (NEC) to issue guidelines on when leaders should retreat to the branches “for greater participation in the process.”
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According to the NEC statement, after the last committee meeting in mid-February, “the contributions of the ANC provinces should be considered” when making the “necessary technical adjustments” to the party’s guidelines in this regard.
Magashule, however, on the sidelines of his court appearance a few days after the meeting, said the guidelines would be forwarded to the branches.
Nompondo said the province supported the guidelines, “with the view that they should not be used to attack individual comrades and should not alter individual rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic, including the right to be presumed innocent until proven. otherwise”.
For this reason, the PEC “reaffirmed its support” for Magashule “during this difficult time.”
He said:
“While we must abide by the law at all times, we must nevertheless be careful not to fall into the trap of dissociating ourselves on the basis of allegations that have yet to be proven in court.”
He added that “criminal activities erode the moral fiber of our society and deprive the most vulnerable of benefiting from the fruits of the revolution.”
Unit
He also said that the leadership of the Free State party “is committed to achieving unity in action within the organization.”
This was important “for the unity of society in general” and, therefore, the PEC “has established a work team that leads the unity talks in the province.”
There is some division in the party in the province on questions of leadership, as well as on whether Magashule should be supported or not.
Magashule led the province until 2017, when he was elected to the party’s national leadership structures.
He faces corruption and fraud charges related to an asbestos eradication tender awarded by the province seven years ago.
He, along with several co-defendants, will appear in court again in August.
