Suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said he won’t apologise for trying to suspend ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa in turn.
He is not taking his suspension lying down. He’s going to court to have it lifted and Ramaphosa’s enforced.
READ: Step-Aside Deadline Looming For SG Ace Magashule
Magashule claims Ramaphosa’s faction in the NEC is targeting him for expulsion. In court papers, Magashule said the apology requested by the NEC is unenforceable.
He accuses Ramaphosa of using selective justice to target him, but this approach appears to signal that Magashule has lost support within the ANC, and he’s been urged to attempt a revolt.
The ANC in the Free State’s Deon Leeu said: “Going to the NGC, you know I would actually dare him and his supporters to go to the NGC. So that they can be embarrassed further.
Activists of the ANC and members of the ANC are tired of the ANC’s name being mentioned with corruption, fraud, money laundering, and this kind of things.”
One analyst believes the step aside decision may have more serious implications for the ANC.
“When you start interfering with an elected person in whatever way you are actually undermining the will and the wishes of those that elected that person,” Sandile Swana said.
READ: Magashule Refuses To Voluntarily Vacate His Position
“So ideally when you want to recall or remove a person, it is better to ask those who elected that person to remove them.”
The ANC’s top six officials are due to discuss Magashule’s court challenge on Monday and also to consider charging him over his failure to apologise.