The ANC top 6 will meet on Monday when it is expected that the developments around the arrest of its secretary-general Ace Magashule will be discussed.

Magashule made his first appearance in the Bloemfontein magistrate's court on Friday where he faced numerous charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering. He was released on bail of R200,000.

Magashule's arrest and being charged are expected to reignite a debate in the ANC's national executive committee about whether leaders charged criminally should step down. The NEC will meet at the end of the month.

Before his appearance in court, Magashule assured the party's top 6 leaders that he will co-operate with law-enforcement agencies.

After his appearance, Magashule said only the branches of the ANC could remove him.

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ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe confirmed to the Sunday Times that officials will meet on Monday to discuss developments around the arrest of Magashule, and described this as a complex issue.

Mantashe would not be drawn on Magashule's comments about not stepping down.

Last week, ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile and the party's deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte said Magashule would continue with his functions at the ANC headquarters because the issue of him stepping aside as he fights his legal battles was not raised at a meeting of senior officials.

This was because the NEC was still finalising guidelines related to the “step aside rule”, even though this was an adopted conference resolution from 2017.

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