The ANC Veterans’ League has called on the party to tighten its step-aside rule in a bid to remove ANC ministers implicated in corruption from President Ramaphosa’s cabinet.
At least four ANC ministers in Ramaphosa’s cabinet have been accused of wrongdoing.
Thembi Simelane, Minister of Human Settlements, for her involvement in the VBS saga. David Mahlobo, Deputy Minister, facing corruption allegations stemming from his tenure as Minister of State Security.
Buhle Nkabane, Minister of Higher Education and Training. For allegedly lying in Parliament about appointing the chairperson of SETA boards and misleading an independent panel. Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Police, with corruption allegations levelled by KZN police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Plans to widen its scope
In an interview with Sunday World on Tuesday, Veterans’ League President Snuki Zikalala said the league, which pushed for a stronger step-aside rule, wants to widen its scope beyond those who are criminally charged to include anyone who has brought the organisation into disrepute.
He said the league plans to propose at the party’s National General Council in December that individuals who have tarnished the party’s reputation, even without criminal charges, should be removed from all public positions.
Zikalala said that the current rule requires a member to be legally charged before stepping aside. He said this was not enough as senior party members remain in influential roles despite clouds hanging over their heads.
The ANC’s step-aside rule, introduced after the 2017 national conference, stipulates that members charged with criminal offences must relinquish their positions until finishing their cases. It also bars them from campaigning, holding, or attending party events.
The ANC hoped the rule would help purge corrupt or state-capture-involved members. These include senior figures like former party president Jacob Zuma, former secretary general Ace Magashule, and ANC eThekwini region chair Zandile Gumede, all who have been implicated in corruption.
Zuma, Magashule
Zuma and Magashule later formed their own political parties. This weakened the ANC and forcing it into a government of national unity after losing its outright majority for the first time since democracy.
Zikalala argued that despite challenges, the rule needs to be strengthened to protect the party’s integrity.
He said its success lies in excluding corrupt individuals.
“The main thing the step-aside rule has achieved is that those who were seen to be corrupt were not in our midst,” he said.
“So it’s the right thing we did with step-aside. Our people were not happy that the ones fingered at the Zondo commission for serious crimes were not criminally charged.”
Zikalala said that those under public scrutiny but not charged will not willingly step aside.
“They’d rather see the party lose support than step down when they haven’t been charged.
Their conscience questioned
“It’s difficult to call on them to step down because some of them have refused. And there’s no point in asking them despite knowing the veracity of their problems. Where are these people’s consciences?
“Even if the people can see that we have gone down to 40% and we are going down to 36%, they will say I’ve not been criminally charged and all these are just allegations. The president should also prevail on them. And it would make things much easier and simpler for us.”
Zikalala called on members linked to corruption to put the organisation first and step aside voluntarily. Though he acknowledged the rule can only be amended at the 2027 conference.
Commenting on the Mchunu allegations, he said: “I don’t know whether this Mchunu issue is true or not. But Mchunu being Mchunu, I never thought he’d be what Mkhwanazi alleged.”
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, speaking to Sunday World on Monday, said that if the Veterans’ League wants to strengthen the step-aside rule, it should do so at the December National General Council.
He said that current rules are clear and sanctioned by congress. He was implying they cannot be overridden outside the conference.
Removal centred on criminal charges
Mbalula said that as things stand, neither the party nor he can remove ministers or public figures who have brought the party into disrepute without criminal charges.
He said the party would also not remove people on the basis of rumours, allegations, and accusations. They act on the basis of people being criminally charged.
He said from time to time, the party summons its ministers into the party headquarters to explain themselves. However, the Mchunu saga has gone viral. And the capable people to deal with the matter were the government and the president.
Approached for comment on whether ANC disciplinary committee would be calling Mchunu to account, the committee’s chair, Reverend Frank Chikane, said they do not discuss specific cases with the media, referring the publication to Mbalula.
In a media briefing on Monday, Mbalula said he is confident Mchunu will speak to the party’s top leadership. He said Mchunu owes it to the ANC and doesn’t need to be commanded to explain himself.
Renewal project
He emphasised the party will not defend any member accused of wrongdoing.
“This thing that we are complicit in as a party in protecting wrongdoing may have happened in the past. At the present moment, we’re carrying out our renewal project.
“We have said that even if you are ANC [member] and you are arrested, you are on the wrong side of the law. You are accused of corruption, and you step aside. We are without our former secretary general in the party because we had to put him on step-aside.”
