The African National Congress (ANC) has announced that struggle veteran Mavuso Msimang has decided to retract his resignation. This comes after the party’s resolution to bar any members implicated in State Capture from the 2024 parliamentary list unless they have been cleared by the Integrity Committee.

By Staff Reporter

The ANC has announced that Mavuso Msimang will continue to serve the party following a meeting held on Tuesday, December 12. The meeting was convened by the Veterans League.

On Wednesday, December 6, last week, Msimang resigned from the governing party, attributing his departure to issues of governance and pervasive corruption.

In his letter of resignation, Msimang expressed several concerns regarding the party’s inadequate response to certain issues. Specifically, this pertains to the party’s choice to permit its members who have been implicated in State Capture to be considered for positions in Parliament and provincial legislatures in the forthcoming elections.

The party expressed satisfaction that Msimang has agreed to retract his resignation and will persist in advocating against any misconduct that affects the welfare of the country.

“In this regard, we are pleased that comrade Msimang has agreed to withdraw his resignation and will continue to speak up against any malfeasance impacting the interests of society.

“The ANC will continuously seek the wise counsel of the elders of the ANC in whose footsteps we walk,” stated Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri the party national spokesperson.

The party also noted that its Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, has expressed regret for the public remarks he made about Msimang.

Speaking at the Wedela Community Hall on the West Rand over the past weekend, Mbalula alleged that Msimang, who had resigned from the ANC last week, submitted his resignation to the media rather than directly to the ANC.

Additionally, Mbalula alleged that the former Veterans’ League deputy president had reportedly accepted a bribe to join Change Starts Now, a new party led by the outgoing FirstRand CEO Roger Jardine.

Mbalula had also made utterances that the veterans were engaging in a campaign against the party rather than utilising their established channel of communication with the leadership of the ANC to address their grievances.

“We call upon the veterans of the ANC to stop decampaigning the organisation and work through the structures of the organisation,” said Mbalula.

With the latest development, Mbalula has now expressed remorse. The statement said he “regrets that he made comments that impugned the integrity of Cde Msimang, suggesting that he was vulnerable to taking a bribe from a newly established political formation, or, for that matter, any other source”. 

The ANC has also committed to speedily addressing cases of misconduct among its members, including those who were involved in state capture.

“In addressing the concerns of ANC members, and, indeed all South Africans, the leadership of the ANC will act with urgency to address the unethical behaviour and ill-discipline of members, including leaders of the party.

“We are determined that only members whose reputations are beyond reproach will be included in our list of candidates for Parliament and Provincial Legislatures. This means that those implicated by the Zondo Commission will not be included in our lists if their names have not been cleared by the ANC Integrity Commission,” read the statement.