RAMAPHOSA CONFIRMS MAGASHULE TO PRESENT HIMSELF TO ANC INTEGRITY COMMISSION

African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Ace Magashule has been charged in the asbestos case along with seven others and there have been calls for him to step aside.

ANC secretary general Ace Magashule addresses supporters outside the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court where he appeared on 13 November 2020 on corruption-related charges. Picture: Abigail Javier/EWN

Tshidi Madia 

Eyewitness News

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Ace Magashule will now present himself to the integrity commission.

The party's NEC has been meeting this week, with reports of deep divisions on the way forward.

Magashule has been charged in the asbestos case along with seven others and there have been calls for him to step aside.

However, some are against this.

Ramaphosa said that Magashule would make himself available.

"It is in this context that our meeting welcomed our secretary-general's decision to present himself to the integrity commission on the 12th of December 2020."

He has also called on members to desist from making statements that could further fuel divisions in the organisation.

Ramaphosa has delivered the closing address at the ANC’s last national executive committee meeting for the year.

He said that some members had made comments which placed them at odds with the party’s structures.

Ramaphosa said that some in the party had wittingly or unwittingly damaged the party’s attempts to unite.

"We need to desist as leaders of this great movement, the African National Congress, from public statements that are at variance with the decisions of the structure of the ANC and which are likely to fuel divisions amongst us."