ANC to Cement Step-Aside Rule in Constitution to Keep Criminals and Deadbeats Out, Members to Undergo Vetting

• The African National Congress plans to give the party a much-needed facelift by codifying the step-aside rule in the party’s constitution
• New and old members will have to undergo rigorous vetting to enter and remain in the ranks of the ANC
• It is expected that the codification of the step-aside rule will be highly contested by the KZN branch in the build-up to the ANC conference in December

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress plans to codify the hotly contested step-aside rule in the party’s constitution at the conference in December, meaning it will be a formal "law" of the ANC. The ANC plans to do this to rid the party of its undesirable members.

The ruling party has compiled a list of constitutionally proposed amendments that address organisational renewal and membership.

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The types of individuals that ANC will not consider for membership include abusers, murderers, rapists and people found guilty of corruption. Deadbeat parents will also not be considered for membership.

The ANC says it's doing this to improve the party’s image and the calibre of its cadres.

According to TimesLIVE, the rigorous requirements that the ANC plan to introduce will not only assess if new members are fit to join the organisation but will also assess the quality of existing members through the membership renewal process.

The proposed changes are contained in a document written by a subcommittee on constitutional and legal affairs led by Ronald Lamola. The drafted document will be distributed to ANC branches for further discussion.

News24 reported that the step-aside rule has already claimed several victims as a few high-level ANC leaders have been forced to leave elected positions because of criminal court cases. Most notably, Ace Magashule was suspended in May 2021 due to a corruption court case.

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This year, the ANC’s national executive committee extended the step-aside rule's power to exclude party members from contesting elected positions.

Zandile Gumede, eThekwini’s former regional chairperson, fell prey to this new development when she was not permitted to stand for treasurer-general at the Kwazulu-Natal provincial conference because of corruption.

The ANC in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal voiced support for the rule being axed. This has sparked speculation that the debate around the step-aside rule will intensify as the party heads to the December conference.

The ANC in KZN has expressed its plan to oppose the rule at the conference. Provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo’s confidence is not misplaced, as KZN is expected to have the most branch delegates at the conference.

The constitutional amendments require majority support from the ANC branches if it is to be passed.

South Africans react to the step-aside rule being codified

South Africans are not impressed with the move, with some adding that these types of individuals should not have been considered in the first place.

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@CobusCoetzee2 joked:

"Then the ANC will be left with 2 000 members only."

@OtlileMakena commented:

"They shouldn't have been considered in the first place. The ANC decided to be a gang instead of a political party. Now gangsters are in charge."

@barry_dp said:

"But the devil is in the details. We have a conviction rate of 15% for serious crimes. And when convicted, they appeal, and appeal, and appeal. I assume this will not be for allegations or charges, but only for convictions?"

@IAm_Gunnz asked:

"Does this mean they knowingly considered them before?"

ANC Women's League wants police to deal with sexual assault allegations against Enoch Godogwana swiftly

Briefly News previously reported that the ANC Women's League wants swift action from law enforcement officials in dealing with the sexual assault and sexual harassment allegations against Minister of Finance Encoh Godogwana.

On Monday, 15 August, Maropene Ramokgopa, the Women's League national coordinator, stated that the organisation has noted the damning allegations against the minister they want the police to deal with the matter effectively.

Source: Briefly News