Former president Thabo Mbeki has argued that the step aside rule in the ANC should not only apply to those who have been charged.
Anyone, Mbeki has argued, who refuses to step aside until they are formally charged in court even when there are allegations against them is not a true ANC member.
The ANC in 2021 almost tore itself apart during the developmental phase of the now popular step aside rule. In its initial phase, the guidelines were that anyone, whether formally charged or not, with allegations or any form of a cloud over their head should voluntarily vacate their positions in the ANC and in government until they have been cleared.
This would be done to protect the image of the party which had been battered over years, leading to its president Cyril Ramaphosa penning a note saying the party remained “accused number one” as far as corruption was concerned.
The guidelines in this form became a topic of serious debate in the ANC’s top structure, the national executive committee (NEC), which at the time was faced with the matter of secretary-general Ace Magashule being charged for corruption in the Free State.
Those opposing the guidelines argued at the time that the rule seemed to be targeting specific individuals and that it was prone to abuse as comrades could use it to fight political battles by laying frivolous charges against each other.
The NEC settled on amending the rule to force only those who had been formally charged to vacate their positions.
But Mbeki said on Wednesday that to protect the image of the party, the ANC had to revisit the matter.
He said people should not wait until they were formally charged to cease representing the ANC.
Mbeki gave an example of a former Free State provincial executive committee member who was also taxi owner who voluntarily stepped aside, before the rule was passed, to clear his name after allegations emerged that he was involved in killing people during taxi wars.
Mbeki lauded the person as a true cadre of the ANC who was later cleared of all charges.
“And he was saying the mere fact that there’s a popular view that I’m a murderer, it tarnishes the image of the ANC, and therefore I must leave,” said Mbeki. “So I like to give that example to say he never said, ‘I’ve not been charged’. That’s a genuine ANC member. Anyone who says I’ll only step aside when I’m charged, you must know they’re not ANC members.”
He said the issue of stepping aside of ANC members and leaders remained core to dealing with corruption.
Since the rule was put in place, several ANC members have had to vacate their positions, including high-ranking leaders such as former secretary-general Magashule — something that was foreign in the ANC.
Recently, Zizi Kodwa had to resign as a cabinet minister, MP and NEC member after he was charged with corruption.
Should the ANC take Mbeki’s advice and revisit the step aside rule to have it affect even those who are not formally charged, dozens of officials could vacate their cushy jobs.
Those fingered in the state capture commission report would also have to leave.
TimesLIVE