Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says it is more than willing and ready to appear before the ANC’s commission probing allegations that some of its senior members, Jacob Zuma and Ace Magashule, helped with the formation of smaller splinter parties like it before the May 8 general elections.
The commission which is yet to start its hearings would be headed by party veteran and former speaker of the national assembly during the Nelson Mandela era, Dr Frene Ginwala.
The inquiry was empowered to recommend disciplinary action against any ANC member should prima facie evidence exists in relation to the allegations against them.
ATM’s president, Vuyo Zungula, said they although the commission has not written to them to solicit their key input, they are more than ready to do so because they want to clear their good name.
He said that was the case because some within the country’s political arena and the ANC itself were using the vexatious allegations to stigmatized them as a product of an ANC faction or having links to the ruling party itself.
“We don’t have a problem (with appearing before the commission) because when we clear things it will work in our favour because now even the ANC is using this as a means to stigmatize the party so that people do not trust us. So it should not be a problem,” Zungula told Independent Media on Wednesday.
He added that even the person who first came up with the allegations, Buyisile Ngqulana, the former secretary-general of the South African Council of Messianic Churches in Christ (SACMCC), the faith body that helped form the ATM, eventually withdrew them and is now openly working for the ANC.
As a result of that, Zungula said they want to deal with the matter and move on as a party. He added that even the court Ngqulana brought against them has failed.
“We want to put this bed, get closure, move on and focus on having a clear brand, not a brand that is attached to the ANC or anyone from the ANC.”
Ngqulana had previously indicated that he was willing to assist the ANC's probe and testify against Zuma and Magashule.