Former ANC Secretary General 'May' Appeal His Expulsion

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JOHANNESBURG: Mr Magashule had faced charges of misconduct and bringing the party into disrepute for the unsanctioned suspension of the ANC president.

Former African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General, Mr Ace Magashule has vowed to hold a tell-it-all media briefing next week to discuss his expulsion from the party.

Speaking to SABC on Monday evening, Mr Magashule reiterated that it is well with his soul.

The party’s National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) announced his expulsion after he missed the deadline on Sunday – to give reasons why the party should not expel him.

Mr Magashule had faced charges of misconduct and bringing the party into disrepute for the unsanctioned suspension of ANC president, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa and a subsequent failure to apologise, even after being instructed to do so by the party.

“For now it’s well with my soul. For now, I’m still jumping like a tennis ball, running like a cheetah and floating like a butterfly. I’m very well,” Mr Magashule said in a televised interview.

Meanwhile, ANC veteran Mr Mavuso Msimang believes Mr Magashule could have changed the outcome of the party’s disciplinary committee deliberations had he taken up the opportunity granted him to change his tone. Mr Msimang is of the view that Mr Magashule placed himself above the party.

“One would say, he has brought this misfortune upon himself. He was given the opportunity to retract his statement, or change his accent about suspending the president- he was not going to do that. So, when a person gets to a position where he has absolutely no respect for the organs of the organisation- where he effectively places himself above the organisation- I don’t think it has any option but to let him go, Mr Msimang said.

Appeal expulsion

According to a Political Analyst, Mr Levy Ndou, the former ANC Secretary-General can still appeal his expulsion from the party. This move is unlikely to happen, some supporters of Mr Magashule have suggested.

“He might also decide to write a letter to the party officials and challenge the outcome of the disciplinary action may be on technicalities and other aspects. That might give him a little opportunity to get a hearing. Or he might decide to get out of politics and focus on other things or he might also then decide to form his political party or join other political parties,” Mr Ndou further explains.

After two years of attempting to hold Mr Magashule to account, the ANC decided to rather walk away from its relationship with the senior politician.

“It is obviously with a heavy heart because people who grew up in the ANC grew up in the struggle ideally should not be disengaged from the movement that they gave rise to themselves,” said ANC national spokesperson Ms Mahlengi Bhengu.