South Africa's Magashule Launches Party for 'Politically Abused'

Former African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Ace Magashule has launched his own political party, the African Congress for Transformation (ACT). Speaking at the organisation's unveiling, Magashule said: "Our political party will exist as a custodian of the aspirations of its people and generations to come ... I want to say to all South Africans here is a ship of freedom -- come along and join us, and all those who are weary and politically abused."

Magashule added that the party wants to act against crime, unemployment, poverty, retrenchments, privatisation, water shedding, load shedding, hunger, famine, femicide, abuse against women, and discrimination. The ACT includes several former ANC members, including former controversial Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza.

Magashule was suspended from the ruling party after it elected to suspend members facing serious criminal charges and who refuse to step down. The ANC resolved at its 2017 national conference that any representative (elected or employed) who was criminally charged should step aside. Magasghule faces several corruption-related charges over his involvement in a corrupt U.S.$13.5 million asbestos tender contract awarded during his time as Free State premier.