Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma Wants "Unfair" and "Divisive" Step-Aside Rule Amended at ANC’s December Conference

• Minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma thinks the African National congresses step-aside rule is unjust
• Dlamini-Zuma believes the ANC should remove the rule at the party's national conference in December because a slow justice system makes it ineffective
• The Cogta Minister will run for ANC president at the national conference if she meets the nominations threshold

DURBAN - ANC Presidential hopeful Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has denounced the African National Congresses (ANC) step-aside rule as unjust and divisive. The cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) Minister said that the resolution should be amended at the ANC elective conference in December.

Dlamini-Zuma will be contesting for the position of ANC president for the second time at the December conference. The Cogta Minister narrowly lost to President Cyril Ramaphosa in her bid for ANC president in 2017.

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Dlamini-Zuma spoke in an exclusive interview with the SABC on Sunday, 25 September, when she expanded on her concerns with the governing party's step aside resolution.

According to SABC News, the Cogta minister says the rule is inconsistent with South Africa's constitution and that the slow-turning wheels of the justice system make the resolution unjust.

Dlamini-Zuma questioned the implementation of the resolution highlighting that the problem with the rule is that suspected corrupted politicians are charged and forced to step aside but must wait years for their trial to start.

Dlamini-Zuma asked:

"I am saying justice must be done. Why do you arrest first and investigate for three years?"

The presidential hopeful added that authorities should have a clear-cut case by the time allegedly corrupt officials are arrested so that the person under investigation can be cleared or found guilty expediently.

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News24 reported that analysts anticipate that the step aside rue will be a divisive issue for the ruling party at its national elective conference in December. The KwaZulu-Natal charter of the ANC has expressed its desire to have the resolution set aside.

South Africans weigh in on Nkosana Dlamini-Zuma's comments

Some South Africans agree with Dlamini-Zuma's notion that the step-aside rule is unconstitutional. At the same time, others believe the Cogta minister is pandering to the masses to secure more votes at the December national conference.

Here are some comments:

@CGN_1977 commented:

"Of course, she wants the step aside rule as this buys her support - shocking that someone wanting to fight for the top job of President thinks criminals should be left to continue in parliament."

@mandla_mshengu added:

"The step aside rule is not right. It’s like arresting first, then investigating later, and it is meant for some chosen individuals, so it must be scrapped out."

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@JustJamal_ claimed:

"The step aside rule is quite selective"

Former President Jacob Zuma offered support to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s ANC presidency bid

In a related matter, Briefly News reported that former President Jacob Zuma ordered members of the African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee (NEC) to rally behind Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s bid to lead the ruling party.

The members gathered at Zuma’s Nkandla homestead on Saturday, 10 September.

The former president allegedly told a faction of the party led by suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule that Dlamini-Zuma was his choice for the presidency. However, a source close to News24 said that Zuma said there was no need to change the candidate contesting President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Source: Briefly News