The adjournment on Friday of the crucial ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting meant to discuss the divisive Phala Phala scandal report has been described as a waste of time.

This after dozens of ANC leaders were flown in from across the country at short notice for a meeting at the Nasrec conference centre only to be told to go back home an hour into the meeting.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, who is said to be consulting his allies over his considering to resign, was a no-show at the meeting much to the displeasure of most of the NEC members.

Ramaphosa was expected to be grilled on the outcome of an independent panel report that found he may have committed a serious violation of the law.

The report, released on Wednesday, may ignite impeachment proceedings against Ramaphosa pending a debate in the National Assembly on the report on Tuesday.

ANC KZN provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo slammed the adjournment saying the meeting was called prematurely.

He said it was only when they arrived that they realised crucial preliminary processes laying the foundation for the meeting had been disregarded.

“I think it’s something unprecedented because we thought we’re called into an NEC meeting [because] officials have sat and reflected on the matter and of course [it] goes to the NWC and the NWC makes recommendation on the matter to the NEC.

“But when we came in we discovered that those processes were not followed and unfortunately the NEC had to be adjourned.”

The firebrand provincial leader said the postponement was particularly unfortunate as the Phala Phala scandal continues to plunge the country into uncertainty.

Mtolo said the ANC should not be found wanting when all eyes are on it to provide leadership as the so-called leader of society.

“South Africans are waiting for the ANC to have a view and give direction now. We said it must be [reconvened] in a short space of time before Monday because Monday there must be a caucus in parliament because this report must go to parliament on the 6th,” he said.

Another NEC member and youth league leader, Joy Maimela, said the decision by the party’s top six leaders to advise Ramaphosa against attending the meeting was misguided.

“We were told that he was advised by officials not to come because the matter concerns him [but] of course the wisdom of the NEC is that it will be better if the president is here and we agree with that wisdom because if there are critical questions that we would have as members of the NEC it will be better for him to respond himself.

“So they [top six] would process the matter in their own but of course the NEC would have to come and express themselves on how they’ve chosen to process the matter and the NEC has expressed that the national officials’ decision was perhaps not the wisest decision at the time.”

Acting secretary-general Paul Mashatile said the NEC will sit again by Sunday after satisfying all the preliminary processes which include a meeting of the national officials which will be followed by the national working committee meeting.

The officials are most likely to meet on Friday night while the NWC is expected to meet on Saturday.

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