The Africa National Congress (ANC) has decided to keep the step-aside resolution, with calls for it to be implemented fairly.
The RET-Taliban faction, which won against President Cyril Ramaphosa’s allies at the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) conference a week ago, failed to gather support in removing the step aside rule.
The KZN’s new leadership which is part of the radical economic transformation (RET) faction, arrived at the policy conference keen to have the step-aside rule scrapped. Those that called for the step-aside rule to be scrapped, arguing that it was used to fight factional battles and divide the party, failed to convince the plenary of 1800 delegates at the ANC policy conference.
President Cyril Ramaphosa gave the strongest indication that the party in in support of the renewal of the ANC and would not back down on the step-aside resolution in his opening speech on Friday.
“To renew the ANC we must end a number of bad practices that have seeped into our organisation. This requires that we must fully implement our 54th national congress resolution,” Ramaphosa said
“On this there can be no going back and there can be no compromise. We cannot abandon our principled positions, for instance, on issues such as corruption, in pursuit of a false unity. The people of SA will not forgive us if we abandon the correct positions that we have taken on confronting wrongdoing within our ranks.”
If the step-aside rule was removed, it would have allowed RET leaders such as suspended secretary-general Ace Magashule, KZN strongwoman Zandile Gumede, and Danny Msiza to return to their jobs. It would allow former Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize to put his hat in the ring. Although Mkhize has not been formally charged, he has been implicated in the Digital Vibes scandal.
Source: Business Day, Eyewitness News, Daily Maverick, image from Twitter