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Johannesburg — The ANC National Working Committee has ordered the immediate suspension of the ruling party’s secretary general Ace Magashule and other members facing criminal charges.

The ANC announced the outcome of its National Working Committee on Tuesday following their marathon meeting on Monday after some of the affected parties had apparently made appeals to senior leaders to stall the suspensions.

Among the key people affected by the decision includes Magashule, former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede; KwaZulu-Natal deputy chairperson Mike Mabuyakhulu and several others.

ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said on Tuesday that the National Working Committee has reaffirmed the decision of the NEC held from 26-29 March 2021 that all members who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, failing which they should be suspended in terms of Rule 25.70 of the ANC Constitution.

The rule provides that “where a public representative, office-bearer or member has been indicted to appear in a court of law on any charge, the Secretary General or Provincial Secretary, acting on the authority of the NEC, the NWC, the PEC or the PWC, if satisfied that the temporary suspension of such public representative, office-bearer or member would be in the best interest of the organisation, may suspend such public representative, elected office-bearer or member and impose terms and conditions to regulate their participation and conduct during the suspension.” — IOL