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There was a time, not so long ago, when Cyril Ramaphosa and Ace Magashule pretended to sing from the same hymn sheet.

That relationship has deteriorated during Ramaphosa’s time as president, with his promises to root out corruption directly at odds with Magashule, who is pretty much the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the ruling party.

Mr ‘my fellow South Africans’ talks a good game, time and time again, but all evidence suggests that the rot runs so deep that everyone in the ANC is tainted, and various factions are set to war once more at this weekend’s ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting.

Called in part to focus on the ‘decisive’ measures that need to be taken against corrupt party members, insiders report that a faction of the party, led by Magashule, will instead try to focus the spotlight on Ramaphosa’s 2017 election funding, which has been mired in controversy for years.

Reporting below via the Mail & Guardian:

In doing so, they hope to take the pressure off Magashule and other allies who face potential censure — including former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede — if the meeting endorses Ramaphosa’s proposal that those implicated in the theft of state funds be forced to stand aside while their cases go to trial…

Image: Zapiro / Daily Maverick

His allies will also push for action over the Covid-19 procurement scandal involving Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, and Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku, to put the president’s faction on the spot with a call for even-handed action over corruption.

You know your party’s a mess when your best defence against allegations of corruption is to point out how corrupt other ANC members are.

It’s basically the political version of the Spider-Man pointing at the other Spider-Man meme, while the country plunges off a “fiscal cliff”.

Magashule was told this week that he must appear before the ANC integrity commission, with that due to occur next week.

UPDATE: Ahead of the NEC meeting this weekend, this from TimesLIVE:

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has asked that former eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and deputy provincial chair Mike Mabuyakhulu step aside from their legislature and organisational responsibilities pending their appearance before the provincial integrity committee…

Gumede will continue drawing a salary in the legislature.

Ramaphosa’s corner will say that he drew a line in the sand with the letter he sent to all ANC members this past Sunday, but the pushback throughout the week is a clear illustration of how averse certain party bigwigs are to being held accountable.

Andile Lungisa, a staunch supporter of Magashule, immediately wrote to the ANC top six, asking for Ramaphosa’s campaign finances to be investigated, and the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association, led by Pep Store camo soldier Carl Niehaus, also threw their weight behind an investigation.

Ramaphosa will have some party support at the NEC:

…his allies are set to be pushing for action against Gumede, Magashule and others.

This week, ANC deputy secretary general Jessie Duarte said in an SABC interview that the NEC would discuss Gumede’s promotion. She said the party’s national working committee was unhappy about the decision, and KwaZulu-Natal would be asked to explain the move.

A party tearing itself apart from within, while the rest of us watch on in horror.

Yes, next year’s local government elections will provide a good sense of whether the country is behind #VoetsekANC, but we’ll have to wait until 2024’s provincial and national elections to really get a sense of whether or not we’re ready to hit the party where it hurts most.

[source:mg]