Andisiwe Makinana
10 November 2009
The ANC is expected to withdraw former Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool and MPP Max Ozinsky from representing the party in the national and provincial parliaments.
Party insiders told the Cape Argus that Rasool, a member of the national Parliament, and Western Cape provincial ANC chief whip Ozinsky will be recalled by the party from their seats in the respective legislatures.
The two have been involved in a public spat about allegations made by Premier Helen Zille about three weeks ago that Ozinsky and another senior Western Cape ANC member, Mcebisi Skwatsha, leaked information to the DA to undermine the ANC government led by Rasool.
Zille told the provincial legislature last month that members of her party were opposed to a social upliftment programme initiated by Rasool, based on the information given to them by Skwatsha, the party's former provincial head, and Ozinsky.
Zille made the allegations while responding to a question in the legislature about her party's previous opposition to the Social Transformation Project, established to uplift the 27 vulnerable communities identified by the previous administration. The project was meant to tackle poverty, crime, unemployment and drugs.
"You can be sure that the analysis on which (current Transport and Public Works MEC Robin) Carlisle or any member of the DA attacked the programme was based on information given to them by Ozinsky and Skwatsha," she said.
Both Skwatsha and Ozinsky denied Zille's allegations that they had leaked information to the DA, and supported a call by another MPP, Whitey Jacobs, for the legislature to set up an ad hoc committee that would investigate Zille's claims.
Rasool told the Cape Argus he was vindicated and spoke of how he always suspected that his comrades in the ANC had collaborated with the DA to undermine the government he led.
On Friday, the fight between Ozinsky and Rasool came to a head when they accused each other of destroying the ANC in the Western Cape, in comment pieces published by the Mail & Guardian newspaper.
ANC sources claim that the articles were the last straw which led the provincial task team, headed by national Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana, to decide to "recall" both men.
Sources claim that Rasool, who has been quoted by several newspapers since Zille made the allegations, had ignored an ANC instruction to stop speaking to the media.
This morning, ANC provincial task team co-ordinator Shaun Byneveldt wouldn't confirm or deny that the two would be withdrawn.
He, however, told the Cape Argus that the task team had discussed the issue of recent press reports and had made certain decisions that "I can't disclose".
Byneveldt said the decision would be announced later today.
"It's a decision that involves us speaking to our comrades," he said.
Rasool said he had not heard of the recall, "but if it is true, it won't be the first time I hear about my recall through the media".
Rasool was sacked as Western Cape premier by the ANC last July for his role in the infighting that saw the party lose the April elections to the DA.
Ozinsky did not want to comment.
In his article in the Mail & Guardian, Ozinsky suggested that Rasool paid Cape Argus journalists to run a campaign to undermine him and Skwatsha. Cape Argus editor Gasant Abarder says: "We have in the past consistently invited Mr Ozinsky and his ANC colleagues to provide us with proof to this end. I would like to reiterate the invitation to Mr Ozinsky to furnish us with the proof.
"The Cape Argus also investigated the matter, and this resulted in the resignation of one senior journalist. But we have found nothing to substantiate Mr Ozinsky's claim that Cape Argus journalists benefitted financially."
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