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By Zintle Mahlati 
1 hour ago
Johannesburg – African National Congress General Secretary Ace Magashule’s comments following his appearance before the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on corruption charges point to fierce political fighting ahead of the party’s National General Council (NGC).
This was the opinion of political analysts on Saturday after Magashule threw the gauntlet at the ANC.
Magashule appeared in the dock for the first time on Friday when he faced 21 counts of corruption, fraud and money laundering linked to a R255 million Free State asbestos tender.
He was released on bail of 200,000 rand and will appear in the same court again on February 19, along with his fellow co-defendants. He was asked to hand over his passport and warned to stay away from his former personal assistant Moroadi Cholota, who became a witness for the State.
Unisa’s political analyst professor Somadoda Fikeni said Magashule’s speech was part of a well-known political playbook used by politicians facing corruption allegations.
“There is a particular pattern now that I could say has become a rule book. When leading political figures face serious legal problems related to corruption, the first thing to do is weaponize it and politicize it by invoking their own factional base.
“The second is to say that this is a political conspiracy. The third is often to say that I know a lot and when the time comes I will reveal everything or write a book. And that’s exactly what we were seeing there, ”Fikeni said.
Another analyst, Ralph Mathekga, shared similar thoughts.
“What I think was happening is that Ace wanted to explain what happened in a way that says that he is being targeted for political reasons, but not that he has a case to answer,” he said.
Mathekga further argued that while Magashule’s speech could be considered similar to that of former President Jacob Zuma when he faced corruption charges, it may not provide the same result for the former Prime Minister of the Free State.
“It looks like the same script, but a lot has changed since then. Maybe when people saw this for the first time they were excited, but I don’t think there is the same now. “
Magashule also surprised many when it revealed that the ANC’s NGC would be held in May next year.
Fikeni said the way forward to that NGC would be divisive for the match.
“The regrouping of factions is quite clear. The signal is that the next ANC political conference will be used as a battleground for that, ”said Fikeni.
“The ANC differs markedly on politics and so forth. The radical economic transformation faction has been pushing for interventionist policies.
“The policy conference is where the strength of leadership is evaluated. It is not where leadership is changed, but it is where the waters of strength in the party are tested, ”said Mathekga.
Meanwhile, Fikeni said last week’s by-elections offer a small sign of the control the ANC still has over the nation.
“From local government elections to by-elections, it means that everything that happens to the ANC remains of national concern because it is still an established party that has not seen strong opposition to evict it,” he said.
After court proceedings on Friday, Magashule launched his last defense in what he perceived as a political witch hunt against him.
He appeared on a temporary stage where he sang to thousands of fans who had braved the Bloemfontein heat to hear his voice.
ANC NEC member Tony Yengeni, Ekurhuleni Mayor Mzwandile Masina, former Minister Malusi Gigaba, ANC MP Bongani Bongo and his co-defendant in the asbestos case, Olly Mlamleli, spoke out in support of Magashule.
Magashule said that he would not resign as secretary general of the ANC because he was chosen by the branches at the conference.
Magashule also threatened her detractors that she knew people’s corrupt secrets and would not reveal them until some point.
Political Bureau
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