Thabiso Goba8 March 2024 | 10:28

ANC faces ethical conundrum of whether to include state capture-implicated members in final candidate list

The party’s NEC has been in several meetings since Monday to scrutinise the ANC’s list of candidates, some of which have corruption allegations hanging over their heads.

ANC faces ethical conundrum of whether to include state capture-implicated members in final candidate list

An African National Congress (ANC) flag flies outside a polling station in Langa, near Cape Town, on 1 November 2021. Picture: AFP

JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress (ANC) has until 5 pm on Friday to submit to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) its final list of candidates to stand in the national and provincial legislative houses.

The ANC’s National Executive Council (NEC), which is its highest decision-making body in between conferences, has been in several extended meetings since Monday, scrutinising the party’s list of candidates.

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The conundrum facing the governing party is on whether it should or should not include members who have been implicated in state capture, and are before its integrity commission, on its list.

ANC stalwarts Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Pravin Gordhan have made the party’s job a bit easier by announcing their retirement from politics at the end of this political administration.

However, questions remain over other popular longstanding members like Zweli Mkhize and Zandile Gumede, who made themselves available for selection but have corruption accusations hanging over their heads.

Even key allies of the party’s president, like Gwede Mantashe and Zizi Kodwa, have allegations linked to the State Capture Commissio hanging over their heads.

The final ANC list, which will be submitted in a few hours, will take into consideration gender, race, and youth representation.

The governing party will hold a media briefing on its list at 2 pm on Friday.