Johannesburg – One of ANC secretary general Ace Magashule’s staunchest supporters, Carl Niehaus, is in hot water over his attack on the former Free State premier’s deputy, Jessie Duarte.
The ANC today slapped Niehaus with a notice of intention to suspend him in connection with comments he made in a personal statement panned last Thursday claiming Duarte attacked him knowingly while he was gravely ill due to Covid-19.
“I am saddened that even the Deputy Secretary General of the ANC, comrade Jessie Duarte, saw it fit to attack me, and undermine my long history as a 42 year veteran of the ANC in good standing, as well as my elected position as an NEC member of MKMVA, and MKMVA National Spokesperson. This she did, knowing that when she was doing so, I was gravely ill. It was unnecessary and callous – I am deeply saddened by it,” he wrote.
Niehaus did not elaborate on the specific comments that constituted an attack on him by Duarte.
His statement has landed him into trouble.
ANC general Manager Febe Potgieter-Gqubule said Niehaus’ statement crossed all boundaries expected from an employee.
Niehaus was employed in March 2019 at Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters, “to give direct support to the work of the Secretary general.
“You have been advised, on more than one occasion, that your public statements and social media posts, are unbecoming of someone working in this high office, which has the primary responsibility of driving and coordinating the work of all structures of the ANC. You also received a written warning to this effect, on 12 October 2019,” she said.
As early as last October, Magashule distanced himself from Niehaus, saying he had noticed with concern that he was involved in activities that created an impression that he was acting on instruction from him.
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The former Free State premier told Niehaus that the need for radical economic transformation was a resolution of the party’s conferences in Mangaung and Nasrec and could not be perceived to be the dominion of “RET Forces” or any faction in the ANC.
“Any attempt to create such an impression is wrong, creates disunity within the ANC, and as such must be repudiated. Accordingly, I distance myself from any and all activities which cause disunity in my name,” Magashule said.
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