By: Natasha Archary
Suspended ANC secretary-general, Ace Magashule failed in his bid to overturn his suspension from the ANC.
This after the Constitutional Court dismissed Magashule’s latest attempt to reverse President Cyril Ramaphosa’s suspension.
Magashule who is implicated in the R255 million asbestos tender scandal, has maintained that his suspension was the President’s hidden agenda.
On Wednesday, 10 August, the ConCourt condoned Magashule’s application for leave to appeal.
“It has concluded that though there are no reasonable prospects of success on merits of the application for leave to appeal, the delay in bringing the application for leave to appeal is minimal, the explanation for the delay is adequate and there is no prejudice to the respondents.”
The suspended secretary-general had initially approached the South Gauteng High Court to contest his suspension, which was dismissed with costs in January.
In February, Magashule’s corruption case was postponed to 10 June.
Magashule said the charges against him were trumped up and politically motivated with no weight behind the allegations.
Lawyers for Ace Magashule argue that “political activity appears to be the ulterior purpose behind the decision to prosecute him” presenting that “criminal prosecution has neutralised him politically, which appears to have been the objective.”
Arguing that there is no evidence implicating him in the allegations, Magashule said the NPA was wasting his time.
Magashule suspension came about after he refused to step aside when he was charged for fraud and corruption relating to the asbestos tender.
The President then suspended Magashule who subsequently issued Ramaphosa a letter of suspension, despite being suspended himself.
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