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ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule is keeping score of all those who have been dragging his name through the mud – and when the right time presents itself, he intends to confront his detractors to clear his name.
In an interview with City Press, Magashule said he had been quietly observing all the allegations being levelled against him in the media.
“I am giving myself space to build a case, and at the right time I will then face my detractors head-on and say to them: ‘You said the following things that are untrue about me, and that counts as defamation of my character,’” said Magashule.
He was referring to allegations that he still enjoys great influence in the Free State and wields this influence in a biased manner.
This, in reference to his move to Gauteng, after Magashule resigned as Free State premier to assume his role as secretary-general at Luthuli House, the ANC’s headquarters in Johannesburg.
A visibly irate Magashule said: “It is appalling that comrades are using the media to fight their political battles. Party members with a bone to pick will go to the media and say that there are allegations of corruption against you.
"They are careful to frame them as allegations, making sure that you cannot go to court and challenge them.
“If indeed individuals have proof of any wrongdoing, they know what proper recourse they should be taking. Go to the police station, produce the proof and let the necessary authorities deal with the matter,” he said.
Disgruntled ANC Free State members, who have filed an application with the High Court in Bloemfontein to nullify the May provincial conference, are accusing the ANC of not taking their grievances seriously when it chose to deploy Magashule to the province to mend rifts there.
The members have fingered Magashule as the cause of their problems.
Magashule denied that there was a political standoff in the Free State: “There are a few disgruntled individuals who do not even represent any branch structures in the province.”
Last year, the court ruled that the provincial conference, which was a direct result of events that occurred during branch general meetings, was unlawful and unconstitutional, and that those branch elections had to be rerun.
Magashule said the court’s recommendations were followed and there was a special focus on those branches when the rerun took place.
“There were still some branches that were unhappy, even after the rerun.
"However, the court ruling does allow for an instance where, if 70% of the branches making up the provincial conference are constituted legally, then the provincial elective committee that’s been chosen may be recognised,” said Magashule.
He stressed the need for political education, saying it was because of political illiteracy that there was so much infighting within the organisation.
“If ANC members followed the example of countries such as China and Cuba, whose leadership undergo yearly political education classes, the ANC would have fewer differences of opinion.”
He maintained that his handling of matters in the Free State was in keeping with the directives given by the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC).
“In the politics of the Free State, my approach is that comrades need to engage each other. I do not want to be at the centre of playing any role there.
"The Free State should be handled by a collective. The deputy secretary-general [Jessie Duarte] and NEC members should approach the task in a united manner,” he said.
Having previously expressed strong views against members who take the ruling party to court, and going so far as to question who funded such members, during Friday’s interview with City Press Magashule sang a different tune.
“There are special cases when members, having exhausted all ANC internal dispute resolution processes, are permitted to take the party to court,” he said.
Magashule made mention of former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo’s court case against the ANC as a case in point.
“We cannot just drop individuals based on differences of opinion. Leaders must have patience, and engage with members,” he said.
“Comrade Kgalema Motlanthe used to say that it is only incorrigible people whom we cannot accept in the party. We are all human beings; we do wrong.
"Supra will still be engaged by the organisation. We [the ANC NEC] have taken a resolution to that effect.”
