Magashule, during a media briefing after his brief court appearance in Bloemfontein on Friday, said he would not step aside as the national executive committee (NEC) had taken the guidelines to structures in the party.
JOHANNESBURG – African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Ace Magashule has made it clear that he will not apply his conscience and step aside as his party finalises guidelines to implement the resolution governing this.
Magashule, during a media briefing after his brief court appearance in Bloemfontein on Friday, said he would not step aside as the national executive committee (NEC) had taken the guidelines to structures in the party.
The secretary general has been at the centre of corruption claims stemming from a multimillion-rand asbestos project from his tenure as premier of the Free State.
READ MORE: Corruption accused Magashule says history will absolve him
He made his second court appearance on Friday after which he told journalists he was innocent and that no corruption took place in the Free State while he was premier.
GALLERY: Magashule appears in court, supporters gather outside
For Magashule, the partys NEC took clear decisions on the guidelines for members to step aside.
He said while the NEC is the highest decision-making body in-between conferences, it still does not have some powers including taking this crucial decision, which they all have to abide by.
And our structures, the basic units, we actually discuss those matters and thats why we have taken them there.
He told journalists he was confident that when the dust settles, he will still be standing.
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And when asked directly if he would step down, this is what he had to say: No, I am a disciplined member of the ANC. The NEC of the ANC has taken this matter to branches.
Magashule has called on the judiciary to not apply morality selectively.
He has also insisted that constitutional tenants of being innocent until proven otherwise must be respected.
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