The six members were also accused of sowing political disunity
The ANC in Gauteng has expelled one of its members from Ekurhuleni and suspended five more from Tshwane after they were were found guilty of misconduct by the party’s provincial disciplinary committee this week.
The action against the six members is in line with the party’s resolve to restore public confidence ahead of the crucial 2019 general elections.
The party is worried that it may lose Gauteng after its poor performance during the 2016 local government elections in which it lost three key metros — Johannesburg, Tshwane and Nelson Mandela Bay.
In a statement issued by the chairperson of the provincial disciplinary committee Ismail Vadi on Tuesday, the party said the provincial disciplinary committee found six members in Ekurhuleni and Tshwane regions guilty of misconduct after they behaved “in a disorderly manner and disrupting ANC meetings”.
The six members — Thabang “Mashiane” Nkani, Johannes Setsoma, Clarence Lukhele, Victor Malefane, Josesph Rammela, Phumzile Masuku and Eugene “Bonzo” Modise — were also accused of sowing political disunity and divisions and undermining the structures of the party.
The party said it has expelled Nkani, who is also a member of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association with immediate effect. The rest were given suspensions of between two and five years.
“The ANC Gauteng provincial disciplinary committee has sent a stern warning to ANC members in the province that ill-discipline and disorderly conduct will not be tolerated within the leadership and rank and file membership of the organisation,” said Vadi.
“The 54th ANC national conference identified member ill-discipline as a key challenge confronting the movement. It had resolved to address decisively acts of discipline and misconduct emanating from its members in order to improve the electoral support and public standing of the ANC.”
He said the disciplinary process against the members was instituted last November after the provincial working committee met to assess the outcomes of the branch general meetings leading to the ANC national conference in December 2017.
Vadi said the affected members have 21 days to lodge an appeal against the ruling.
“In accordance with the ANC constitution these members have the right within 21 days to appeal against the rulings of the provincial disciplinary committee. The grounds of such a review shall be limited to procedural irregularities and shall not deal with the merits of the decision of the provincial disciplinary committee,” said Vadi.