( 4 minutes read)
· Jessie Duarte is the new secretary general of the African National Congress (ANC), the South Africa’s ruling party. He was appointed after Ace Magashule, the earlier incumbent, was suspended recently on corruption charges
· The appointment of Jessie Duarte was announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday
· Ace Magashule was given a 30-day ultimatum to step down after being accused of misappropriating public funds while serving as premier of the Free State
Jessie Duarte is the new secretary general of the African National Congress (ANC), the South Africa’s ruling party. He was appointed after Ace Magashule, the earlier incumbent, was suspended recently on corruption charges. The appointment of Jessie Duarte was announced by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa yesterday.
Removal of Ace Magashule from the post is considered to be a victory of Cyril Ramaphosa, who made his commitment known to everyone that the corruption would be eradicated from the party apparatus.
Ace Magashule was given a 30-day ultimatum to step down after being accused of misappropriating public funds while serving as premier of the Free State. But he refused to resign and was finally forced to do so. Cyril Ramaphosa announced that Jessie Duarte, deputy secretary-general since 2012, would in accordance with the ANC constitution; perform the functions assigned to the secretary-general.
The stepping down of Magashule was fraught with theatrics. He tried unsuccessfully to participate in the online meeting, despite his suspension. Even after the suspension was announced, instead of stepping down, he wrote a letter to Cyril Ramaphosa asking him to temporarily step down as president, citing his powers as party secretary general. Mired in corruption scandals for several years, Nelson Mandela’s ANC is seeking to regain its image. The trial of Magashule is scheduled to start in August.
