Johannesburg – ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule is against the ropes following a blistering attack on his leadership by former president Thabo Mbeki and supporters of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
On Saturday, Mbeki told a heated ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting that Magashule was a divisive figure compared to the former secretary-generals of the party, including Sol Plaatjie.
Mbeki added that if the ANC was serious about radical socio-economic change, it has to improve its leadership.
“He (Mbeki) was saying if you look at the stature of the of the office of the secretary-general in the past, the standard dropped under Magashule,” an NEC member said.
“Mbeki went for him (Magashule),” the member added.
Magashule’s allies in the socalled radical economic transformation (RET) faction also came under heavy attack, with calls for some of its key figures, including Carl Niehaus, to be expelled.
This was despite Ramaphosa’s opening address calling on unity and renewal of the organisation.
The first day of the gathering (Friday) kicked off to a stormy start after a discussion was started by Ramaphosa’s allies on the conduct of the RET faction.
There were also renewed calls for Magashule to step aside, while his supporters mounted a strong pushback against eff orts to oust the former Free State premier from his powerful position.
But it was the unprecedented attacks on Magashule and the RET faction that took centre stage in the early parts of the meeting, which ends today.
ANC head of economic transformation Enoch Gondongwana and Deputy Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Thabang Makwetla led the charge against Magashule’s backers, calling for the Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) to be disbanded.
NEC members who att ended the meeting said Makwetla raised objections with the conduct of the MKMVA – vocal supporters of Magashule – condemning their camping outside former president Jacob Zuma homestead to block attempts to arrest the former statesman for his defiance of the Constitutional Court. So bruising was the onslaught on the RET forces that calls were made for expulsion of its key figures, including spokesperson Carl Niehaus.
“Makwetla pushed that MKMVA must be dissolved. He said they were outside Zuma’s house wearing military gear. He asked what would happen if the former soldiers of the South African Defence Force would do the same,” an NEC member said.
“Makwetla said Carl must be expelled. Godongwana said RET forces must be disciplined. Godongwana also said the DA was not the enemy,” the member said, adding that Godongwana’s comments on the DA were understood to mean the RET forces were now seen as an “enemy” within the ANC.
However, former labour minister Mildred Oliphant was among Magashule’s supporters who objected to the dissolution of the MKMVA, saying the organisation, unlike Makwetla’s MK National Council, had been a party decision. ANC national youth task team co-ordinator Thandi Mahambehlala, a staunch Magshule backer, argued that the ANC should not be selective in dealing with factions, saying groupings of veterans outside formal structures of the party and foundations such as the Kathrada Foundation should also be reined in.
Attacks on Magashule’s supporters started early in the week, with the ANC in the Eastern Cape, a stronghold of the Ramaphosa, Godongwana and the party policy guru Joel Netshitenzhe – known Mbeki supporters – and ANC presidency head Sibongile Besani, saying the RET was no longer just a faction but a splinter from the ANC.
Sharp divisions also emerged when a call for Magashule to step aside was repeated by Godongwana, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and former state security minister Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba.
ANC spokesperson Dakota Legoete, ANC NEC members Tony Yengeni, Joe Maswanganyi and Mahambehlala pushed back against attempts to ice Magashule.
The continued stalemate between the two groups saw former mineral resources minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi call for a vote on major issues, a suggestion that was shot down.
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