The appearance of suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule at the EFF’s Freedom Charter celebrations at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto at the weekend has incensed the interim provincial committee (IPC) in the Free State.
The committee said that it had noted with concern the conduct of Magashule.
“The IPC in Free State has noted with concern that the suspended secretary-general, Cde [comrade] Ace Magashule, attended the political event of another political organisation [EFF], which is not in alliance with the ANC,” said Oupa Khoabane, the IPC spokesperson.
“Such a conduct can only be accepted if it is sanctioned by the organisation in pursuit of its political interests.”
Khoabane added that the position Magashule holds in the ruling party, despite being suspended by the ANC, is of crucial importance.
“The secretary-general is one of the highest positions in the organisation whose integrity has to be protected at all costs. The fact that he is suspended does not disqualify him from upholding the organisational discipline and other principles that must be observed by all the members.
“The office of the secretary-general carries with it the image of the organisation. As a provincial structure, we deplore in the strongest terms such an irresponsible conduct, and request all the members in the province not to follow that example as it tarnishes our image.”
Khoabane further said it was important to note that in the diagnostic report that the IPC produced at its inception, the ANC in the province listed the negative tendencies that devoured the unity and destroyed the traditions and culture of the ruling party.
He said: “This conduct of the secretary-general comes as a new negative tendency and must not be emulated by any member.”
Separately, Khoabane said the IPC has noted the alleged theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm in Limpopo in February 2020.
“We believe that the matter must be given an attention it deserves and the relevant institutions must be allowed to deal with the matter without delay to avoid continued speculations on what actually took place.”
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