By Thys Khiba
Pretoria – The African National Congress National Working Committee (NWC) has recommended that the step-aside suspension letters be sent out to all members who are delaying to step aside.
On Tuesday, the ANC released a statement to announce the outcome of its National Working Committee following their Monday meeting. This is after some affected leaders had apparently made appeals to senior leaders to stall the suspensions.
“The NWC reaffirmed the decision of the NEC on 26-29 March 2021 that all members who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, failing which they should be suspended in terms of Rule 25.70 of the ANC constitution,” said ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe.
Therefore, the rule provides that ‘where a public representative, office-bearer or member has been indicted to appear in a court of law on any charge, the Secretary General or Provincial Secretary, acting on the authority of the NEC, the NWC, the PEC or the PWC, if satisfied that the temporary suspension of such public representative, office-bearer or member would be in the best interest of the organisation, may suspend such public representative, elected office-bearer or member and impose terms and conditions to regulate their participation and conduct during the suspension.’
According to the ANC, the National Working Committee has received reports from various provinces on political leaders who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes, the status of their matters, whether the affected members have been informed of the decision of the NEC, and whether they have steeped aside.
Mabe explains, “the NWC also received a report from the National Officials, through a team lead by the Treasurer General, on proposed terms and conditions regulating the participation and conduct of members during the period that they step aside voluntarily.”
The political leaders who will be suspended are expected to report to the relevant Secretariat on a monthly basis. This is also to check progress with their case.
“The NWC instructed that the necessary letters must be written to the affected members implementating this decision, and outlining the terms and conditions regulating their participation and conduct during the suspension,” said Mabe.
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