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As there becomes an increasing public call by some within the ANC for internal discipline to be implemented, we as stalwarts know who should stand before a disciplinary committee. It is a list that every honest member of the ANC, the Alliance, members of the ANC, supporters and the general electorate would agree on.

However, we live in strange times when it is necessary to consistently state the obvious for those for whom the obvious does not serve their own self-centred needs.   

The Constitution of the ANC clearly provides a wide range of reasons why disciplinary action can be taken against a member including, “Behaving in a manner or making any utterance which brings or could bring or has the potential to bring or as a consequence thereof brings the ANC into disrepute;

According to the ANC Constitution the definition of "disrepute" means the absence or loss of reputation, discredit or disgrace;

How can it be that there is no action is against those who constantly bring the ANC into disrepute in the eyes of the communities we should be serving?

Whilst those who retain the moral compass of the ANC and uphold its historical values and principles are to be disciplined?

At present we have seen notice to Derek Hanekom from the Secretary General to give reasons why he should not be removed as chairperson of the disciplinary committee because he tweeted against state capture. How can this be compared with the highly public statement of Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe, when referring to other members of the ANC who may have voted in favour of the no confidence motion on Zuma as the President of the Country, "When you have a poisonous snake, you hit it hard on the head, and you burn it to make sure it is dead." Do not inflammatory statements such as this, and we are all aware of many more from Maphatsoe, bring the ANC into disrepute, incite violence and undermine the genuine attempts to build principled unity? Why is no action taken?

Why was no action taken when Maphatsoe went ahead with the MKMVA conference against the attempts of the NEC to reconcile the stalwarts of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Council and those of the rather younger grouping of Maphatsoe?

Makhosi Khoza, who has consistently been a role model of how ANC members should undertake oversight and scrutiny, without fear or favour, of the Executive within Parliament, has been removed as Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration and now faces disciplinary action. Why is this happening when no action is taken against those in the Executive who have consistently mislead Parliament, the ANC and nation, from Nkandla, with fake bonds, fire pools; through the SASSA, social grants crisis and a host of other issues, including a complete failure to understand the critical role the ANC and its members must play in the fight for zero tolerance against gender violence.

Why has mediocracy consistently trumped commitment and excellence in the appointment of cabinet members?  Why has no action been taken about the abuse of public money by members for family members and in unnecessary legal action?

As stalwarts who are committed to the historical values and principles of the movement we call on all structures of the ANC to show principled unity to ensure that state capture, corruption and graft are confronted. It is our right as members of the ANC to demand that those who have failed our country and the ANC are exposed and appropriate action taken. This will be an important step in restoring the legitimacy of our movement in the eyes of an ever increasingly alienated electorate.

We also need to defend those who have had the courage to consistently speak out against state capture. We believe that there is a need for all of this to happen in the public domain so there is no space for those who wish to hide behind their own perverted understanding of “democratic centralism’” that they believe will allow them to continue on their chosen path of self-interest and corruption. The real culprits who are bringing the ANC into disrepute must be confronted.

To those who say they want to have their time in court and those who wish to avoid it, we say the time will come when justice is seen to have been done and the ability of the ANC to continue its historic mission will be restored.

Issued by ANC Stalwarts and Veterans