Pretoria - The Limpopo ANC top five has resolved to allow VBS accused Danny Msiza to attend official meetings despite his having stepped aside due to criminal charges against him, sources said.
It is believed that party provincial chairperson and premier Stan Mathabatha informed the party’s provincial working committee (PWC) about the decision last week, which endorsed and referred it to the provincial executive committee (PEC) for final approval, ANC insiders said.
If endorsed by the Limpopo PEC, the decision would put the province on a collision course with the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC) which resolved that all party leaders accused of criminal charges must step aside from all leadership positions in the party and government until their cases are finalised.
The decision, dubbed the “step-aside rule”, has already affected ANC leaders such as secretary-general Ace Magashule, KwaZulu-Natal deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu and MP Bongani Bongo. Msiza is accused along with 13 others of the brazen looting of about R2.3 billion from the collapsed VBS bank, that left scores of investors out of pocket in 2018.
Following the accusations, Msiza last month tendered his step-aside letter from ANC activities.
This matter could cause rifts between the ANC in the province and party headquarters, Luthuli house, after it enforced the step-aside rule to all ANC members who are criminally charged.
One source said: “The officials resolved to allow Danny to attend their meetings and only step aside from all structures like the PEC and PWC. Mathabatha informed the PWC about the officials’ resolution. He said they decided to allow him to attend the officials’ meetings, but the step-aside rule will apply to structures like the PWC and PEC. It’s strange what they are saying because the officials make recommendations to the PEC and PWC after their meetings. The PWC endorsed the proposal. It has been referenced to the PEC for final enforcement.”
Other ANC insiders added: “The proposal was tabled at a PWC meeting. They say they want him to attend the officials’ meeting. My worry is that we may be accused of defying the NEC on the step-aside rule. That can lead to us being disbanded. It seems Danny wants to drag the entire PEC down with him. That’s selfish.
“He (Msiza) has access to the officials, the PEC and the government. Those are his people. Why is it necessary for him to attend the meetings.”
Mathabatha’s spokesperson Willy Mosoma referred all questions to the ANC.
Speaking to the Pretoria News at the weekend, the party’s provincial secretary, Soviet Lekganyane, confirmed that the issue was indeed tabled at its Provincial Working Committee meeting last week but was never adopted.
“I can confirm that the matter was raised and a decision was taken but I can also confirm that that decision was wrong of the PWC to make.
“The National Executive Committee made a decision on September 4 in a NWC meeting that all those who are criminally charged must step aside from all organisational activities. We can’t defy that. The NEC after its meetings writes a couple of letters to us, and in those letters it’s clear that the step-aside rule must be implemented.
“The NEC has given us an instruction and we must implement its decisions consistently without deviation. It’s very clear that there is no half ‘step-aside’ and there is no way that the province can be creative. Since we have received the letter from the NEC the matter is dead and buried. There is no way that the comrade (Msiza) can be part of meetings. Those meetings would be unconstitutional.”
Attempts to get hold of Msiza and ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe were fruitless.
Pretoria News