Johannesburg - Records from the ANC's national disciplinary committee, dating from 2014 to 2021, show that the party had allegedly not decisively disciplined any party member for corruption, the State Capture Commission of Inquiry has heard.
President Cyril Ramaphosa returned to the commission on Wednesday to answer questions on why the party had not done more to deal with graft.
His testimony for most part of the day focused on his role as ANC president.
The commission’s evidence leader, advocate Paul Pretorius, told Ramaphosa that records submitted to the inquiry showed that the ANC had not disciplined any member concerning corruption.
He asked Ramaphosa whether he and the ruling party were concerned about that. Ramaphosa conceded that malfeasance was a major worry for the party.
"Yes, it is a matter of concern,“ Ramaphosa said. ”There has been contestation in the party on this one. That the party, for the most part, did not really live up to the value system that is the backdrop to its existence.
“In my letter, I did decry this and I raised this. I said we must draw a line in the sand and we must decide as to the ANC and take the issue of corruption seriously."
He said that the party was on a journey towards renewal in order to correct the mistake of not dealing with corrupt members.
The party had recently enforced a resolution adopted at its 2017 national conference, that anyone charged with corruption should step aside from a leadership position.
"The renewal process we are involved in now also talks to this. The processes have not been as robust as they should be. We have drawn a line in the sand. The membership has embraced this and the issue of discipline is being taken much more seriously.
"The ANC is saying we are renewing ourselves and we are the only party that has said we are prepared to hang out our linen in the open. We are now going to be seriously dealing with corruption," Ramaphosa said.