Top ANC Leader's Pending Court Appearance Receive A Boost

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JOHANNESBURG: The group leader, Mr Malefu Mofokeng has accused judges of having underhand tactics.

South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress top official, Mr Ace Magashule has received support ahead of his court appearance.

A group of individuals that was formed by sympathizers of the former party leader, Mr Jacob Zuma – who is also set to appear in court on Tuesday, 23rd February, on fraud, corruption and racketeering charges – have vowed to rally behind the underpressure secretary-general.

The group known as Radical Economic Transformation forces have, also, questioned the independence of the country’s judiciary. It has pledged its support for Mr Magashule ahead of his court appearance in Bloemfontein, Free State on Friday on charges of corruption.

RET forces claim that charges against Mr Magashule are politically-motivated. The group has been joined by the civil movements, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco), and the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) which has also come out in support of Mr Magashule.

The group leader, Mr Malefu Mofokeng has accused judges of having underhand tactics, according to the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

“Comrade Ace’s charges have nothing to do with law per se but are politically motivated charges,” he said.

“The independence of the judiciary is compromised. Some legal practitioners are no longer committed to the rule of law but use the rule of law to advance narrow political interest for those who are anti-economic transformation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sanco head, Mr Gift Poli, says they believe in [Mr] Magashule’s innocence.

“As Sanco, we strongly believe this is a political case and it’s concocted and if you can check the charges. That is why we are saying he is innocent until proven guilty,” Mr Poli said.

“SG is one of our own, as Sanco in the Free State we are going to continue supporting him,” he added.

Another supporter, Mr Thabo Baleni, made claims Mr Magashule is being targeted for his stance on radical economic transformation, a term dupped by a British PR firm Bell Pottinger, hired by three brothers caught up in a nationwide corruption scandal at the time, helped drive racial tensions destroying former liberations leader, Mr Nelson Mandela’s rainbow nation project.

“We have learned with time that all those who had before him been advocates of change that is supposed to bring about the development of African people had forever been challenged,” Mr Baleni said during South African Broadcasting Corporation interview.

“In this regard, it is done in terms of actually getting concocted lies, goes through media and also channelling the apparatus of the state, the judiciary, which comes and tries to purge comrade Ace Magashule,” he added.

A pupil’s organisation, COSAS national convenor, Mr Katleho Mangoejane, made similar claims about the concerted efforts to purge Mr Magashule.

“When comrade [Mr] Ace Magashule was still the Premier of the Free State, he did a lot of development at schools. He prioritised education amongst other things, that is why we feel the need to defend him because an attack on [Mr] Ace Magashule is an attack on education,” said Mr Mangoejane.

Mr Magashule, together with seven others and five companies are facing corruption charges relating to the alleged irregular awarding of a tender for more than R250 million to remove asbestos from low-cost houses in the Free State.

The court date is set for Friday, 19th February 2021.