Dreams shattered! Suspended Ace Magashule ‘barred’ from contesting ANC’s leadership position

The embattled suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule has been left gobsmacked, after the ANC’s electoral committee ruled out that any member of the party facing suspension from the party would be prohibited from contesting for any position in the upcoming 55th national conference in December.

This announcement was made by the electoral committee’s chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe, who plummeted hopes of Magashule for his political resurrection.

“Any member of the party who has been found guilty or facing any serious charges of misconduct, or have been charged with unethical, any crime or corruption cannot contest, this also includes members who have been found guilty by a disciplinary committee for contravening the ANC’s code of conduct, and had their membership suspended for any period in the past 10 years,” said Motlanthe as he outlined prohibitions that excludes Magashule from the list.

The resolution was adopted at the ANC’s 54th national conference in 2017, where it proclaimed that those facing corruption and other serious charges to voluntarily step aside or face immediate suspension.

Although the ANC’s national working committee asserted that, those who are facing step aside rule are permitted to be nominated by the branches, they will not be able to stand in for any position.

Another ANC’s top fierce and former eThekweni municipality mayor Zandile Gumede, who faces the same predicament, was barred from taking up the role of the ANC Kwazulu-Natal as its Provincial Treasurer due to the step aside rule.

The troubled Magashule was suspended from his position as the party’s secretary-general last year in May, for refusing to step aside following the ANC’s NEC resolution that pointed out that leaders facing criminal charges should step aside, or face suspension.

Defiant Magashule has been appealing this decision in courts with no luck, as his attempts were struck off the roll.

In his papers, Magashule argued that his suspension was ‘absurd and unlawful’.

Magashule is facing corruption charges related to the asbestos contract worth R255-million during his tenure as Free State Premier.