Suspended ANC SG Ace Magashule Goes to Court, Says He Won’t Apologise

Friday, May 14, 2021 at 5:02 PM by Phumzile Ngcatshe

- The embattled ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule has challenged the decision for him to apologise through the Gauteng High Court

- Magashule was suspended last week but retaliated by suspending president Cyril Ramaphosa and has now approached the court to challenge the ruling party, ANC

- The former Free State premier, Magashule, was ordered to issue a public apology to the ANC and Ramaphosa, but he says he cannot until he’s told by the court

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Embattled African National Congress Secretary-General Ace Magashule has hit back at the ANC, saying he will not apologise.

The suspended Magashule has dug on his heels arguing that he will only offer an apology to ANC and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa once a court of law orders him to so.

Magashule had until Friday to apologise for issuing an unsanctioned suspension letter against Ramaphosa a week ago.

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Ace Magashule wants court to reverse his suspension & suspend Ramaphosa instead

The former Free State premier released his side of the story on Friday morning through court papers in the South Gauteng High Court.

Suspended ANC SG Ace Magashule has gone to court and says he won’t apologise. Image: Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

According to Timeslive, Magashule says he can only tender an apology if a court can declare that. Magashule said according to the publication:

“I can only genuinely tender such an apology if this honourable court declares that despite what I have explained, it is unwarranted in the circumstances, which I dispute.

“Any apology issued by me before legal clarity is given by this honourable court would not be genuine or meaningful.”

It is also reported that Magashule went on to question the constitutionality of the step-aside rule in terms of the ANC of which he has been suspended.

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Magashule says the step-aside resolution, which was adopted at the ANC’s national conference in 2017, was fundamentally changed and amended by the pro-Ramaphosa faction.

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Ace Magashule: Carl Niehaus warns Mzansi not to hold their breath for apology

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said to the SABC:

"He seems to believe that the branches will have a different view to the way the ANC and the NEC has presided thus far.”

“Once you bring in the courts, the ANC is losing control of this whole thing. The ANC is no longer an implementer, the ANC is now a party that has to respond to the way in which this policy has been formulated and so forth. It does buy him time to be in the political wonderland.”

“If that buys him time while the court is processing, that gives him time to play politics with the branches around this thing.”

Looking at the reactions from Mzansi social media users, many are left questioning Mahashule's motives.

@RapitsiR said:

"But he suspended the president on the same rule."

@MuzMocker said:

"Like I've said, the SG will remain suspended if he uses Mabuza attorneys. He wants the resolution declared unlawful yet wants to use the same resolution to suspend Ramaphosa. He must make up his mind and stop wasting the courts time."