A video of expelled former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule suggesting that he swayed a Free State by-election in favour of the EFF, has emerged.
In the now viral video which started doing the rounds on Wednesday evening, Magashule does not mention the by-election he influenced, but talks about “a small town”.
WATCH: Former ANC SG, Ace Magashule, confesses that he instructed people to vote for the EFF during by-elections and dump the ANC. The EFF eventually won the Dihlabeng ward in April this year. Magashule was meeting with Team Sugar SA leader, Shukela Thwala of Newcastle. @IOL pic.twitter.com/L83lAFTvPA
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 29, 2023
Magashule made these revelations during a dinner with Shukela Thwala, the leader of Team Sugar South Africa (TSSA), the small but influential political party that is keeping the IFP in power in Newcastle, Amajuba district municipality.
TSSA was also keeping the IFP in power at Dannhauser local municipality until one of the coalition partners, the CFP, switched to the ANC and the IFP was ousted.
The agenda of their dinner meeting was not yet clear, but it was held in a plush venue where there is glitter and gold, and an indoor swimming pool.
During the closed meeting, there were other people, but IOL could not identify them.
However, it is believed that they are in Magashule and Thwala's inner circles.
After their dinner meeting, which is not clear where and when it was held, videos started doing the rounds.
WATCH: Shukela Thwala, the President of Team Sugar South Africa who is also the deputy mayor of Newcastle under the IFP-led coalition last night posted this video as his Whatsapp status where he was dining with Ace Magashule, the expelled former Secretary-General of the ANC. pic.twitter.com/TU92clrTRk
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 29, 2023
“We just told two guys… vote EFF, a month ago EFF won 57 percent,” Magashule is heard saying and the others laughed.
It is believed that he was referring to the April by-elections at Dihlabeng local municipality in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality where Malefetsane Mokoena got the community’s nod to be the new councillor.
During the by-elections, the EFF shocked the ANC by getting 57% of the vote, snatching the ward from the ANC.
Magashule did not respond when IOL asked him where and when the video was recorded and which elections he was referring to in his comment.
PICS: People said to be from Parys in the Free State, burning ANC regalia. pic.twitter.com/fHHrEI3xCC
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 16, 2023
Magashule was recently expelled from the ANC for his botched May 2021 attempt to suspend Cryil Ramaphosa as party President.
That was at the height of the internal squabbles over the step aside rule that compelled Magashule to step aside after he was charged for corruption.
It is believed that Magashule is banking on his popularity to start his own party and dent the power of the ANC in the Free State.
NEWS: The ANC in the Fezile Dabi region in the Free State says it will immediately institute disciplinary hearings against some of its members who took part in the mass burning of its T-shirts at Parys on Youth day. It said the incident is aimed at creating confusion. @IOL pic.twitter.com/IMFeAltQxl
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 17, 2023
On June 16 this year, a few days after his expulsion, the people of Tumahole (Parys), his hometown, burned ANC regalia in what is believed to show their disgust towards the governing party.
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