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Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) leaders have complained that the ANC integrity commission was taking over the work of the ANC ahead of the appearance of MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe before the ANC ethics body.
Maphatsoe was set to appear before the integrity commission to answer to the MKMVA’s comments of possible civil unrest and a coup if former president Jacob Zuma is arrested for failing to appear before the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture.
There is a sense within the association that it should have been ANC officials who called in the MKMVA to explain the comment, and “it seems like the integrity commission is now taking over the work of the ANC”.
Maphatsoe, who is one of the most vocal defenders of corruption-accused ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, was scheduled to appear before the ethics body last weekend on the same day as Magashule, but the hearing was postponed to yesterday because the Magashule sessions took longer than expected.
The ANC military veterans had warned that a coup d’etat could result should Zuma be arrested for leaving the Zondo commission before proceedings had officially been adjourned, saying that “this happened in many countries in Africa”.
Last month, Zuma left the room without the approval of commission chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Early yesterday, Maphatsoe confirmed that he was due to appear before the commission, saying: “I am ready to tell them my story.”
City Press heard that, in his defence, Maphatsoe would dispute that the MKMVA’s comments were a direct threat to President Cyril Ramaphosa, only a cautionary note that such occurrences had the potential to spiral out of control and needed to be managed diligently.
MKMVA insiders said the commission should have called in the entire national executive committee of the MKMVA to explain the statement, instead of isolating Maphatsoe, “who was pronouncing on behalf of the association”.
They also questioned the participation of Leonard Rasegatla and James Ngculu in the 11-member integrity commission, on the grounds that the pair also belong to the MK National Council, which was organising former ANC combatants away from the MKMVA.
“These two members must first recuse themselves. If they refuse, then the entire hearing is a formality and a guilty verdict is a given.”
The person said the presence of Rasegatla and Ngculu confirmed that the commission was factional even in its composition.
Read: How legal is the ANC’s integrity commission?
Another insider sympathetic to Maphatsoe provided previous examples in which a risk analysis was factored in to better deal with potentially volatile political situations.
Former apartheid president PW Botha refused to appear before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and nothing happened to him because of the possibility of civil unrest, as “the white generals were ready to create instability in the country”.
In 1994, the ballots for the elections were already printed in the absence of a group that refused to participate, including the Inkatha Freedom Party, said the person.
“But what happened? [Nelson] Mandela had to go and plead with them to come and participate. The elections could not continue without them and ultimately they agreed to take part.
“Mandela understood that there was a risk of unrest and the elections could be bloody.”
City Press also heard that Maphatsoe last year appeared before the integrity commission after a complaint by the MK National Council that he was not suitable to become an ANC MP, but a report on the findings of that appearance is yet to be issued.
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