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The ANC says it does not want to be seen to be supporting corruption or state capture.
ANC members must avoid creating the impression that the party supports corruption by wearing party regalia while showing support to anyone accused of state capture, Business Day reported. ANC secretary general Ace Magashule reportedly said on Sunday that anyone who wants to show support to someone facing criminal or other allegations must do so in their personal capacity.
Magashule addressed the media after a three-day long meeting of the party’s national executive committee.
People within the party have a right to support whomever they choose, he reportedly said, emphasising that the party believed in the principle of innocent until proven guilty. But displaying ANC paraphernalia at the court appearance of an accused, for example, would create the unnecessary impression that the party supported corruption, he reportedly said.
#Magashule Members involved in such actions are discouraged from displaying ANC’s paraphernalia and thus creating the false impression that the ANC as organization identifies with, or approve of, the misdemeanors of which any any member or leader maybe accused.
— African National Congress (@MYANC) 25 марта 2018 г.
“Individual members of the ANC and society have the right to express their sympathy and solidarity with the affected persons in their individual capacity, and not through any structures of the movement including the ANC leagues and the MKMVA [uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association].
Members involved in such actions are discouraged from displaying ANC’s paraphernalia and thus creating the false impression that the ANC as an organisation identifies with, or approves of, the misdemeanours of which any member or leader may be accused.”
Former president Jacob Zuma will appear in court soon on charges of fraud and corruption. His previous court appearances have seen party members go to court in numbers to defend him.
He was reportedly at the weekend’s meeting. Magashule reportedly said the case against him was not discussed.
According to Eyewitness News (EWN), Magashule told reporters, “No, we have not discussed former president Jacob Zuma. We have just discussed that in terms of our values, and the integrity and credibility of the ANC we are making a plea to all members of the ANC to behave and act in a particular way which is in line with the values and traditions and cultures of the ANC.”
Meanwhile, Magashule reportedly said there is no need to panic about the land question, as the party intends holding in internal workshop on the issue, according to News24. He reportedly said that land has been expropriated without compensation “many times” in South Africa, and that no one had complained when the apartheid government did it.
He reportedly said a summit would be held on land, including “international stakeholders”, after the party’s internal workshop.
