KwaZulu-Natal delegates at the start of the 55th ANC national conference expect president Cyril Ramaphosa to step aside when he delivers his opening address.
The conference that was meant to start at 8.30 am was delayed due to registration glitches among delegates. It was announced by outgoing chairperson Gwede Mantashe that the conference would proceed at 2 pm. when Ramaphosa was due to deliver the opening address.
However, the group from KZN, which has the largest delegation at the conference, said they were expecting Ramaphosa to announce his stepping aside when he opened the conference.
The step aside resolution was taken during the 2017 ANC conference and pertains to the fact that all ANC members found to have been charged or to have been involved in any wrongdoing must step aside from all ANC activities.
Ramaphosa goes into the conference with a cloud hanging over his head because of the Farmgate scandal, where millions of dollars were allegedly stolen at his Phala Phala farm.
Ramaphosa is accused of having a hand in the alleged kidnapping and torture of the suspects who allegedly stole the money.
Questions have been raised as to why Ramaphosa was keeping millions of dollars at his house.
“What is special about Ramaphosa when others have stepped aside? What makes him not step aside? Zweli Mkhize showed leadership and resigned as the minister of health when he had been accused of wrongdoing.
“The president contravened SARS policies by keeping that much money at his house. He needs to open the conference by stepping-aside. There is no other way. People are poor; we have no water and electricity, but can he keep so much money under the mattress?
“It is criminal, and he should step down as president,” two delegates from KZN said.
Delegates from the Eastern Cape were singing Ramaphosa songs as the announcements of delays were made.
Pretoria News