The ANC will in two weeks time hold a crucial national executive committee meeting next weekend at which the issue of whether members facing corruption and other serious charges should step down from their positions will be discussed.
The committee will consider a legal opinion by senior counsels on the matter.
The party’s national executive committee decided in August that this should be the case, but then took no action when this was defied by the chair of parliament’s home affairs committee Bongani Bongo. The issue became even more pressing after the arrest and appearance in court of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule on charges of fraud and corruption relating to the R255m asbestos contract while he was premier of the Free State.
Magashule, who was released on R200,000 bail, said it was ANC branches that had elected him to his position and it was only they that could remove him.
The national executive committee will also decide on the date for the party’s national general council meeting in 2021 which though not an elective conference has been seen by some as an opportunity for the faction opposing President Cyril Ramaphosa to intensify their fightback campaign.
On Monday, all eyes will be on deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo to see whether he decides to take any action against former president Jacob Zuma for leaving a hearing of the commission of inquiry into state capture on Thursday without permission.
Zuma left the hearing after Zondo gave his ruling that he would not recuse himself as demanded by Zuma’s legal representative, Muzi Sikhakhane. A summons had been issued for Zuma to appear before the commission to answer questions.
In terms of the Commissions Act, Zuma could be charged with contempt of the commission which carries a fine and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Zondo described Zuma’s departure as a “serious matter”.
Sikhakhane told the commission before his departure with Zuma that he had been instructed to take Zondo’s recusal decision on review and that Zuma would not answer any of the commission’s questions.
Also on Monday, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) will begin processing applications for the extended Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme. The wage protection scheme which was set up to help workers affected by the Covid-19 lockdown, which was due to end on September 15, was extended for one more month to October 15.
The SABC board is expected to make a final decision on whether it will entertain demands made by unions, including abandoning retrenchment plans. After an emergency meeting last week, the SABC board said the issuing of retrenchment notices would be put on hold for seven days to allow for further consultations to ensure the sustainability of the organisation.
On Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the National Council of Provinces on building a capable state. On the same day, deputy president David Mabuza will answer questions from MPs in the National Assembly. These will deal with, among other matters, the effect on service delivery of the R10.5bn funding for SAA’s business rescue plan, implementation of the plan, the sale of state-owned land and gender-based violence.
On Wednesday, the social services cluster of ministers — which includes human settlements, water & sanitation, health, social development, basic & higher education, and sports, arts & culture — will answer questions from MPs in the National Assembly.
The finance committee will be briefed by the Treasury and the Revenue Service on tax administration and the governance of the tax authority; and the public works & infrastructure committee will be briefed by the department on the Expropriation Bill.
On Wednesday, the finance committee will be briefed by the Treasury and the Public Investment Corporation on the Mpati commission of inquiry report, which found governance lapses at the asset manager, which manages almost R2-trillion on behalf of the Government Employees Pension Fund and other statutory funds.
The public enterprises committee will be briefed by Eskom on its 2019/2020 annual report and financial statements.
CORRECTION: November 25 2020
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the ANC NEC meeting would be happening on the coming weekend. It will instead sit next weekend. Business Day regrets the error
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