Tougher rules loom: ANC vets push for criminally charged to quit office

ANC

Cape Town – The African National Congress (ANC) Veterans League has reignited debate within South Africa’s governing party by calling for stronger enforcement of the ANC’s controversial step-aside rule.

The rule is a disciplinary measure that requires members facing serious criminal charges to step aside from official roles.

The proposal was discussed this week at the ANC’s 5th National General Council (NGC) in Boksburg, where delegates from across the party gathered to review organisational renewal and strategy.

The league led by Snuki Zikalala wants the rule broadened so that all public representatives of the ANC who are indicted, including Cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament, must immediately step aside not only from party activities but also from their government positions while their legal matters are resolved.

“If the ANC Veterans League has its way, all indicted ANC public representatives, including Cabinet ministers, will have to step aside from their offices to address their issues away from the public eye.”

Speaking to journalists at the NGC, ANC political education head David Makhura confirmed that the matter was under serious consideration, though no final decision had been taken. Makhura questioned the logic of raised expectations around stepping aside, “The fact is, why should you be representing the ANC in government if you step aside from ANC activities?” he asked

Zikalala, who has been pushing this intensification of accountability within the party, told delegates those on the step-aside list should also vacate their state duties, emphasising that selective enforcement in the past has undermined confidence in the rule.

As part of a broader reform push at the NGC, the ANC leadership has also flagged the need for enhanced internal ethical training, lifestyle audits for members, and automatic expulsion for those found guilty of gender-based violence.

Makhura said,  “There are visible changes, the ANC is matching its talk with action… this is what the 2022 NEC is doing now.”

Earlier this month, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa commended members who voluntarily stepped aside while disciplinary and legal processes played out, highlighting internal efforts to restore credibility. “Those members who are stepping aside voluntarily … are to be applauded because … this is to be welcomed,” Ramaphosa said in his closing address at the NGC.

Party chair Gwede Mantashe has previously noted that stepping aside remains a voluntary act, with forcing a member to do so potentially amounting to an internal suspension rather than a step-aside under party rules. “Stepping aside is a voluntary act … it is not an organisational compulsion,” he said in comments earlier this year.

The Veterans League’s call for tougher rules comes against a backdrop of mounting pressure on the ANC to rebuild trust, strengthen discipline, and stem allegations of corruption and selective justice ahead of South Africa’s 2026 local government elections.

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