
Image: Masi Losi
The ANC has resolved that all its members – including leaders at national, provincial and local government level – who have been charged with serious criminal and corruption charges must step aside.
So says ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa following the party’s heated national executive committee (NEC) meeting at the weekend. Ramaphosa was, together with the party’s national officials, briefing the media on the outcomes of the meeting.
The NEC further decided that all ANC members and leaders who face allegations of serious wrongdoing must also subject themselves to the party’s integrity commission to explain themselves.
It was in this spirit that Ramaphosa himself will be appearing before the commission to answer about his CR17 campaign funding.
According to Ramaphosa, the party was now “drawing a line in the sand” against corruption.
“The NEC agreed on decisive action that needs to be taken to tackle corruption within our own ranks as the ANC and across society,” he said.
“In this regard, the meeting received a report from the national working committee on the work undertaken to collate information on the individuals within the ANC who are facing charges of corruption, or other serious crimes.
“The NEC is welcome to report any actions being taken at various levels and resolve that these actions must be completed as a matter of urgency. This must be accompanied by public accountability and the NEC agreed that this will be a turning point in the fight against corruption.
Ramaphosa also announced that the NEC had concluded that the letter penned by his predecessor Jacob Zuma was part of a “choreographed” ploy to weaken him.
Furthermore, the NEC meeting decided to endorse Ramaphosa’s letter to ANC membership, which gave rise to Zuma’s response.
“What seems to be a choreographed campaign against the president will not distract the movement from undertaking an intensified program against corruption and state capture as mandated by the 54th national conference,” said Ramaphosa.