Fallen former ANC Free State strongman Ace Magashule may find himself out in the cold if he is unable to mount a convincing argument about why he should not be expelled from the governing party.
This after the ruling party’s former secretary-general was found guilty on two counts of misconduct relating to his attempted move to suspend party boss Cyril Ramaphosa in 2021.
Magashule has been given a week to state why he should not be expelled from the party.
The development was announced by Magashule’s successor and homeboy Fikile Mbalula during a post-national working committee briefing on Wednesday.
Magashule was charged for “unilaterally suspending” Ramaphosa two years ago and “failing to apologise” when he was directed to do so by the national executive committee (NEC).
At the time, Magashule had been subjected to the step-aside rule after he was charged with corruption relating to the asbestos roofing project when he was premier in Free State.
He believed the move was Ramaphosa’s maneuver to get him out of the way ahead of the December 2022 national elective conference. In retaliation, he suspended Ramaphosa.
But the NEC nullified that move and asked him to apologise, which he refused.
“The charged member [Magashule] is found guilty on counts one and two as charged. The charged member is afforded seven calendar days from the date of being informed to make written submissions to the NDC [national disciplinary committee] to show cause why the ANC recommendation that the charged member be expelled from the organisation should not be imposed as an appropriate sanction.”
The ANC NDC judgment comes amid rife speculation that Magashule is plotting to start his own political party.
Some view the NDC verdict as a move to dare him to go that route, which could backfire and hurt the ANC in 2024 national and general elections in the Free State, where Magashule ruled the party for two decades.
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