ZANDILE Gumede’s supporters in KZN have called on the ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) to be consistent when discussing her appointment to the legislature.
This follows deputy secretary Jesse Duarte’s announcement that Gumede’s appointment was not yet final. Duarte was speaking on SABC on Tuesday evening. She said Gumede’s appointment is yet to be approved or dismissed by the special NEC meeting which is the party’s decision making body between conferences.
Duarte said the NEC, which is expected to meet this weekend, will discuss her appointment and take a final decision whether she stays at the legislature or removed. She said the KZN NEC has been asked to come and explain the appointment to the NEC at the special meeting.
This caused confusion among her supporters and the public on how the party’s provincial leadership allowed her to take the oath if the appointment was still to be approved by the NEC.
Her supporters’ spokesman, Mzo Dube, has called for calm and said nothing will change. He called on the NEC to be consistent in applying the 54th conference resolution, which says a member who is facing criminal charges must step aside from the position.
Dube said the understanding was that by position, the resolution refers to either MEC or minister, not parliament or legislature positions.
“We want to assure Gumede’s supporters that nothing will change. The party will have to be consistent in dealing with this matter because it had set precedence by allowing many parliament members who are facing criminal charges to be remain as MPs. Mama Gumede hasn’t been appointed to be MEC, where the 54th conference resolution on members facing criminal charges would have been undermined,” said Dube.
He made an example of former state security minister Bongani Bongo, who is facing bribery charges yet he remains as an MP. Bongo was arrested in November and is out on R5 000 bail.
