The African National Congress (ANC) National Working Committee (NWC) said on Wednesday that party secretary-general Ace Magashule will seek the counsel of former ANC leaders as ANC provincial secretaries prepare to name members charged with corruption, on Thursday. 

The ANC’s National Executive Committee took a decision during its meeting between March 26 to 28 to ask those who are charged with corruption to step aside from their positions within 30 days or face suspension.

Magashule has since asked ANC provincial secretaries to compile lists of party members who are charged or implicated in corruption.

Magashule, himself, is facing fraud and corruption charges and is out on R200 000 bail.

Party officials, through a team led by the party’s treasure general, Paul Mashatile, will consolidate and process the inputs and report to the NWC.

YOUTH LEAGUE AND BRANCHES

Meanwhile, the NWC has expressed full support for the ANC National Youth Task Team, which has been mandated to convene the ANC Youth League National Congress within six months and to build ANC Youth League branches.

The NWC expressed confidence that this will lay the basis for a vibrant and militant Youth League.

The NWC was also encouraged that more than 185 party branches have held bi-annual branch general meetings (BBGMs) over the past weekend.

According to the party, these meetings form part of the ongoing process of ensuring the unity and renewal of the ANC.

However, the NWC has condemned the violence that erupted in two ANC BBGMs in Mpumalanga over the weekend.

“Violence is both a crime and a serious act of misconduct in terms of the ANC constitution. The perpetrators must be brought to book by the law enforcement agencies and the ANC disciplinary processes must be instituted by the province. The NEC directed that relevant structures attend to this immediately,” the NWC said.

It also called on branches and councillors to do more to engage communities on basic services and local development.

As the country gears up for the local government elections, the NWC urged South Africans to confirm their voter registration details on the Independent Electoral Commission’s website, and to update any changes to personal details at the municipal council offices.