ANC out to keep its image clean

THE ANC has started a process of looking into cases of damaging allegations against its members which arose before the Mangaung conference.

At the party's elective conference in December, delegates resolved to force members facing serious allegations that had the potential to hurt the party's image to step aside while they cleared their names.

But it was decided that resolution would not apply to cases that arose prior to the Mangaung conference.

But now the party has begun looking into those cases against senior members which arose before the December resolution.

Prominent among them is the case of Northern Cape ANC chairman and finance MEC John Block.

Though secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, pictured, denied that corruption and fraud charges against Block were discussed by the NEC, he said the ANC was investigating how to address pre-Mangaung cases.

Block will go on trial on October 28 along with MEC for social development Alvin Botes, ANC MP Yolanda Botha and three officials from the SA Social Security Agency.

North West local government MEC and deputy provincial chairman China Dodovu is the only senior ANC leader sidelined according to the Mangaung resolution .

A 12-member integrity committee of ANC veterans, chaired by Andrew Mlangeni, was formed. It includes former parliamentary speaker Frene Ginwala, Ahmed Kathrada, Mendi Msimang and Dennis Goldberg amongst others.