Cyril declares war on Zuma faction

PRESIDENT: ‘BANS’ PARTY MEMBERS ASSOCIATING WITH JZ FACTION Ramaphosa singles out Magashule and warns party’s NEC will not stand for ‘subversion’.

Astraight-talking President Cyril Ramaphosa last night effectively declared those supporters of the RET (radical economic transformation) camp in the ANC as political outlaws, banning party members from belonging to or associating with the camp, which is loyal to former president Jacob Zuma.

Ramaphosa said the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had approved the stance during its meeting – and had also ratified a decision that all leaders of the organisation accused of corruption or other serious crimes must step aside from their positions.

This includes secretary-general Ace Magashule who, along with others in a similar position with be allowed a 30-day period to step aside… failing which anyone who does not will be suspended by the ANC.

Ramaphosa said Magshule had decided to use the 30-day period to “seek counsel”, including from former leaders of the ANC.

The president was unwavering in his attitude that the NEC decisions were non-negotiable, however. He urged ANC members to “rally around this decision” and not engage in acts of indiscipline, including mobilisation or public statements.

His warnings echoed his strongest salvo yet against the RET faction loyal to Magashule and to Zuma.

He said the NEC condemned in the strongest possible terms “groups operating as organised factions in the ANC and seeking to undermine the ideological and organisational integrity” of the organisation.

He labelled such activities as “subversion” and warned those who wished to engage in “meddling in the internal affairs of ANC” not to “use ANC resources for counter-revolutionary activities”.

No member of the ANC would be allowed to belong to the RET faction, nor associate with people who were members of that group. Nor would any ANC member be allowed to use ANC premises or resources to hold RET meetings.

He said the NEC noted with concern “the re-emergence of an orchestrated campaign of fake news” against him personally in much the same manner as the

“disinformation crusade” at the “height of the state capture machinations”.

These attempts to “undermine organisational and societal renewal will fail”, he added.

He also urged former military veterans to settle their difference and not to be used for factionalism.