ANC to expel members guilty of financial transgressions

Members of the ANC who are public officials and are found guilty in a court of law of financial misconduct involving fraud, corruption, money laundering, racketeering, and theft will immediately be expelled from the ANC, delegates at the party’s conference in Mangaung have been told.

This was one of a number of ANC Constitutional amendments that have been adopted and will apply with immediate effect, said Collins Chabane, chairperson of the constitutional amendments commission.

This means that members such as Northern Cape chairperson John Block, who faces charges of corruption, may be expelled from the party if found guilty.

Members who are suspended as officials in government while they face allegations involving financial transgressions will also face a disciplinary hearing of the ANC to determine whether that member’s employment contract should be terminated.

Chabane said the ANC would not have to wait for the outcome of investigations, conducted within departments, to act on members.

The decision is likely to be welcomed by labour federation and alliance partner Cosatu which has been calling for any public official to resign while they face charges related to corruption.

Other constitutional amendments that were adopted include:

» Members of the ANC can take the party to court at any time, but must exhaust all internal processes first.

» Members may also be temporarily suspended from the ANC if they are suspended in the public service.

» Members can only be elected into the branch executive committees if they have been ANC members for more than two years – increased from one year.

» Members can only be elected into the provincial executive committee if they have been ANC members for more than seven years – increased from three years.

» Members can only be elected into the national executive committee if they have been ANC members for more than 10 years – increased from five years.

Chabane said the ANC decided to allow members to take it to court “because there is a feeling that when members take us to court it is because they feel frustrated by internal processes”.