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#Magashule maintains he'll stand for ANC elections despite #AsbetosGate saga

───   LUCKY NKUYANE 08:37 Sat, 24 Sep 2022

#Magashule maintains he'll stand for ANC elections despite #AsbetosGate saga | News Article
PHOTO: OFM News/Lucky Nkuyane.

The former Free State premier and current suspended ANC Secretary-General linked to the failed R255 million asbestos project, has reiterated that he will run for the party’s 55th National Elective Conference in December.

This is despite a legal case clouding his head.

The legally embattled Ace Magashule, who is charged alongside 17 suspects with varying charges for alleged different roles, told journalists on Friday 23 September during the continuation of the pre-trial, that no one will stop him from contesting the election.

ALSO READ: #Magashule vows to run for ANC position

This, despite his charges and the party's policy adopted in 2017 at the 54th elective conference, barring members charged in a court of law with serious charges to stand for any ANC position, be it a councillor, mayor or even Members of the Executive Council (MECs).

On Friday 23 September 2022, High Court Judge Phillip Loubser, postponed the pre-trial to 20 January 2023 to allow some of the accused, including Magashule and businessman Edwin Sodi, among others, to petition the Bloemfontein-based Supreme Court of Appeal's (SCA) ruling to dismiss leave to appeal an earlier High Court judgment.

Magashule and others petitioned Judge Soma Naidoo to dismiss the charges against them. She has since dismissed their application for leave to appeal.

ALSO READ: #AsbestosGate: Case postponed

During the last court appearance in June 2022, Magashule criticised the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and accused it of “playing politics”. A visibly frustrated and irritated Magashule told Judge Corné van Zyl that the State has always maintained that it was ready for the trial.

“The prosecuting authorities said they had a case, and that is why we have been arrested and we want a speedy case. In the public eye, we are these corrupt people who do not want to respect the law - we were promised by the presiding authority that this would have been dealt with last year. But it has been postponed and postponed, and even when we get out now, you are going to hear the NPA say it is us who are delaying the case,” Magashule previously said.

ALSO READ: “NPA is playing politics” #Magashule tells Judge

Furthermore, one of the accused - through his legal representative, Lebohang Mokhele - on Friday 23 September 2022, during the continuation of a pre-trial in the case, told Judge Loubser that such a move would make way for the State to put its house in order.

Mokhele said the constant and long postponements in the trial, including other matters such as the petitioning of the SCA, have a financial adverse effect on his client, who is accused number 2 - Mahlomola John Matlakala. Mokhele says in an event that the State decides to remove the matter from the roll, it will not be prejudiced.

ALSO READ: Calls for #AsbestosGate trial to be removed from roll

The state prosecutor Johan de Nysschen on Friday told Judge Loubser that two new suspects, including the former Free State Premier's Personal Assistant (PA), have been added to the R255 million failed asbestos project indictment.

ALSO READ: Former #Magashule PA added to #AsbestosGate case

De Nysschen said Magashule's former PA, Moroadi Cholota, has been added to the amended indictment. Furthermore, the former head (HOD) of the Gauteng Human Settlements Department, Margaret-Ann Diedricks, who was arrested in July this year, also made her first High Court appearance on Friday.

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