The ANC has expelled former Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus.
In an interview following his dismissal on Monday, Niehaus lambasted the governing party for the manner in which it has handled his expulsion, saying he found out about it on social media.
“No decency to ensure that I hear about this first,” Niehaus said.
A document widely circulated on social media shows that Niehaus was charged with six counts of misconduct for contravening the constitution of the ANC.
One of the charges relates to a press conference that he conducted in Nkandla following the issuing of the warrant of arrest for former president Jacob Zuma for failing to appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture chaired by now Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
During the press conference, Niehaus was quoted as saying Zuma’s legal woes were a resultant of factionalism and some politicians using state agencies such as the National Prosecuting Authority to target the former ANC president.
On Monday, Niehaus referred to the ANC national disciplinary committee as a kangaroo court, saying he learnt about his expulsion through the media. “It is unacceptable that [as I am] personally affected by this ridiculous decision, I must hear about it on social media.”
He said the views he expressed in Nkandla in 2021 were those of the MKMVA, which he was speaking on behalf as its spokesperson.
Attempts to get a comment from ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe were unsuccessful as his phone rang unanswered.
Recently, Niehaus has been staging lone protests as the ANC national executive committee (NEC) met in Nasrec to discuss the future of President Cyril Ramaphosa following the release of the Section 89 Independent Panel report over a week ago.
According to media reports, Niehaus’ protest was an attempt to exercise his freedom of expression by urging Ramaphosa to resign as the president of the ruling party, accusing him of bringing the ANC into disrepute.
“Ramaphosa must go, he has brought not only the ANC but the country into disrepute not only through the Phala Phala scandal which is not only a national, but an international scandal that touches on issues of money-laundering, illicit international finances, tax evasion, abduction and torture … the whole range,” Niehaus told the media.
“Anything less than the ANC NEC meeting this weekend deciding that Ramaphosa must immediately step down as president of the ANC will be a moral and political failure of epic proportions.
“It will be unforgivable, and if that happens, every single truly revolutionary member of the ANC will have to throw down the gauntlet and demand that the whole NEC, together with Ramaphosa, must resign immediately.”
Ramaphosa gained some time to gather his thoughts after the National Assembly decided last week to defer a debate on the Section 89 Independent Panel findings.
MPs were expected to debate and vote on an impeachment inquiry against the president on Tuesday last week, however, the sitting was postponed to December 13 to allow other members to make their way to Cape Town for physical participation in the National Assembly.
“The 13 December meeting will be fully physical, with no provision for virtual participation. The National Assembly secretariat was tasked with securing a suitable venue that will accommodate all members,” said parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.
Also last week, National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula turned down a request by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) to use secret ballot when parliament votes on the Section 89 Independent Panel’s report.
The request was brought by the ATM on December 1 after the panel found that Ramaphosa may have a case to answer to for the theft of millions of US dollars at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.
The panel found that Ramaphosa may have violated multiple clauses in the constitution including a violation of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, which governs bribery and corruption prevention, and section 96 (2) of the constitution.
To read more political news and views, click here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
