‘Weakening the ANC’: KZN and Limpopo want the Step Aside Rule to be scrapped

 The African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo is adamant that  the Step-Aside Rule will not solve socio-economic challenges and is of the view that  state institutions such as the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are open to abuse for factional purposes. 

The two provinces held a joint media briefing on Thursday, 20 October to raise their concerns about some of the challenges that are facing the party as it heads to an elective national conference in December 2022. 

ANC KZN & LIMPOPO ON STEP ASIDE RULE

During the briefing both Limpopo Provincial Secretary Rueben Madadzhe and KZN Provincial Secretary Bheki Mtolo said they do not believe that the Step Aside Rule will ever be an instrument to solve socio-economic challenges that South Africa is facing. 

The two said they agreed that the Step Aside Rule is weakening the ANC and preventing leaders from ensuring that the organisation remains a vehicle for socio-economic transformation.

The Step Aside Rule was adopted at the party’s national conference in 2017 where criminally-charged leaders must voluntarily step aside and those that alleged, reported and accused of corruption face the integrity committee. 

“We have resolved that both ANC KZN  and ANC Limpopo leaders will collectively engage delegates attending the national conference to push for the total scrapping of the Step Aside Rule. Alternatively, the Step Aside Rule must be strengthened in order to ensure that it is applied consistently.

“Concerning is that state institutions such as Special Investigative Unit (SIU), National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and many more others, are vulnerable to abuse and to be used for factional and ulterior motives. Such state institutions may even be manipulated by ANC members who are in control of state power for their own personal and narrow interests.  Even those who are not in control of the state or within the ANC are likely to use the Step Aside Rule to advance their hidden agendas which ultimately weakens the ANC and leaders are pit against society.” 

ANCKZN and Limpopo

The two leaders said they are worried that the skewed and inconsistent implementation of the step aside resolution has divided the ANC and the alliance. They said there are leaders that are selectively targeted for charges with court cases getting prolonged under the pretext of investigations.  

“Some comrades are charged ahead of conferences with an intention of barring them from contesting.

“On the other side, there are comrades who have been prejudiced and had to walk around with dark clouds hanging over their heads – only to be found not guilty by the  court of law.” 

Suspended Secretary General Ace Magashule is amongst those who will not be contesting for a position as he is facing charges of corruption and was asked to step aside.

Furthermore they said the implementation of the Step Aside Rule is in conflict with the ANC’s Constitution and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Citing that the party is systematically vandalising a well-established and fundamental principle of the law of the presumption of innocence.

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