Cyril Ramaphosa Accuses Ex-ANC SG Ace Magashule of Capturing and Using Free State Branches for Personal Gain

• President Cyril Ramaphosa took a public opportunity to take an indirect swipe at his rival Ace Magashule
• Ramaphosa seemingly accused the former ANC secretary-general of capturing and trying to use branches in the Free State for personal benefit
• The president implored the ANCWL to revive the branches in the province and never let them be captured again

BLOEMFONTEIN - President Cyril Ramaphosa has been touring the Free State in the build-up to the African National Congress' (ANC) 111th-anniversary celebration.

The newly re-elected president of the ANC used the fanfare to seemingly make a dig at former party secretary-general (SG) Ace Magashule, accusing him of capturing party branches in the Free State and using them for his own benefit.

The build-up to the anniversary celebration started with a visit to the family of late party president, Reverend Zac Richard Mahabane and a wreath-laying ceremony on Mahabane's grave, The Citizen reported.

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Ramaphosa was speaking at the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein during an ANC Women's League (ANCWL) event on Wednesday, 4 December where he challenged the league to revive the branches.

The president implored the women of the ANC to never allow the branches to be captured and used for the benefit of one individual again.

According to TimesLIVE, the individual Ramaphosa was referring to was Ace Magashule who was the chair of the Free State for 20 years before becoming the party's SG.

Though Magashule has not been at the helm of the province for some time, the legacy of his influence remains. So much so that the province could not hold its conference ahead of the ANC's December conference because of countless delays by branches that were pushing Magashule's agenda against renewal.

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Ramaphosa vowed that the branch's efforts would not work, adding:

“The train of renewal is in motion and it will crush anyone who stands [in] its way.”

South Africans react to Ramaphosa's accusations against Magashule

South Africans are divided. While some believe Ramaphosa is correct, others think the president is a hypocrite.

Below are some reactions:

@SA1STORNOTHING commented:

"Finally, he is starting to talk."

@musangwe_2072 accused:

"Yawn. These are rich words coming from a corrupt person who used money to buy his position, shame."

@Phiri13Williams claimed:

"Ace is down and out though....out for good."

@apologist_anti added:

"The president of pointing fingers."

@MatthewsMaphal1 agreed:

"He is correct through."

@phoksd stated:

"Ramaphosa captured the conference with the money and has the nerve to talk nonsense."

Ramaphosa says he wasn’t betrayed by branches that switched sides during conference, SA says he’s in denial

In a related story, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa says there is no love lost within the African National Congress (ANC) after several branches dumped him at the 11th hour during the party's elective conference in December.

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Ramaphosa was speaking at a wreath-laying ceremony at the gravesite of late ANC president Zaccheus Mahabane in Kroonstad, Free State. The president said that there was no betrayal in the ANC and that what happened at the conference was the will of the branches.

In a video posted on Ramaphosa's Twitter feed, the president added that the 55th national elective conference was a conference of the branches, regardless of the actions of a select few who tried to influence the outcome.

Source: Briefly News