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By Sihle Mavuso 
5h ago
Johannesburg – The cracks within the ruling party are widening and those who anticipated that the meeting of the national executive committee (NEC) on Monday and Tuesday this week would be heated, were vindicated.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted on his political landscape that there are divisions in the party and, unlike in the past, they are now reaching the public arena and even alarming ordinary South Africans.
That admission drew attention when reports emerged that Ramaphosa supporters were involved in a verbal fight with ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule and his supporters.
Ramaphosa’s allies are reported to have wanted Magashule to step aside because he faces corruption charges emanating from the Free State’s asbestos project worth 255 million rand and last month the state took him to the lower court of Bloemfontein.
IOL reported late on Sunday that, as the Ramaphosa infantrymen fired towards Magashule, there was a bitter pushback.
Magashule supporters went after Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and called on Ramaphosa to fire him with immediate effect after he admitted to the Zondo commission that there was a ‘rogue Sars unit’.
In the same virtual meeting, former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were surprise participants. Their presence is believed to have been in support of the two main factions that are arguing over the step aside resolution.
In the end, Magashule survived and it seemed that neither faction was able to effectively throw its weight to a standstill.
However, there appeared to be a compromise resolution: Magashule must be submitted to the party’s integrity commission, where he will appear on Saturday (today).
In closing the meeting, Ramaphosa said they welcome Magashule’s move to appear before the integrity commission, while critics of the president said he has failed to oust his nemesis.
“It is in this sense that we welcome the decision of our secretary general to appear before the integrity commission on December 12, 2020. The officials (the first six) will process the results of that commitment and the determination of the integrity commission and the report to the NWC (national working committee) and also to the NEC within the broad context of the guidelines to be developed, ”Ramaphosa announced, as a stone-faced Magashule watched from the sidelines. .
While the closure of the Ramaphosa meeting was thought to replace the traditional post-NEC meeting conferences, it was clear that this was not the case.
Instead, Magashule hosted the usual press conference on Thursday and used it to say that the “stand aside” resolution should not be abused. That was seen as a blow to those who wanted him to leave.
Magashule was asked questions about whether she would step aside if the Integrity Commission rules against her.
Magashule replied that it would only say: “National officials will inform you of the outcome of the Integrity Committee, including its decision.”
Magashule added that punitive actions against any member accused of corruption and fraud must be dealt with fairly and transparently.
The NEC meeting also resolved that the party’s annual Jan.8 Demonstration Rally would go to Limpopo, thus nullifying an earlier pronouncement by Magashule that the Jan.8 Declaration event would take place in their backyard, in Mangaung.
This was a clear indication that both factions in the ruling party want the rally to take place in friendly provinces where they enjoy strong support and cannot be booed or faced with any form of shame.
Political Bureau
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