‘Blood on the floor’ as ANC talks Ace

ANC insiders are talking of “blood on the floor” as the push for secretary-general Ace Magashule to go intensified – but with a strong counterattack from his backers at the ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting yesterday.

“It is blood on the floor… it’s tough. We will see who wins this,” said a source.

The NEC extended its meeting after disagreement on whether he should step aside. But insiders say the Thuma Mina camp is not relenting in their demand for Magashule’s head.

But they were met with fierce opposition from the radical economic transformation forces in the NEC, who insisted that if Magashule was to go, so should President Cyril Ramaphosa, ANC chair Gwede Mantashe and others.

Mantashe and others were mentioned in the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. Ramaphosa’s presidential campaign was allegedly funded by white business.

But his backers insisted a mere mention did not amount to a crime until someone was charged. Magashule was criminally charged with corruption and fraud over R200 million graft in the Free State asbestos roofing project and is out on bail.

Political expert Zamikhaya Maseti said it’s too late to act decisively against Magashule. The man has become powerful. “Ace has consolidated his power base.”

Analyst Xolani Dube warned that suspending Magashule could have a domino effect. He said the ANC top echelon were almost all wrongdoers who should be facing the law.