ANC senior provincial member Andile Lili believes the party’s “step-aside rule”, which was imposed in his case until last week, was used to block him from being nominated to serve as a public representative after the May 29 elections.
Lili was asked to “step aside” from party or government activities or face suspension after being criminally charged.
The Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court acquitted Lili on common assault charges in December while he escaped jail time when he paid a R6 000 fine in the Bellville Regional Court following his conviction on a count of incitement to murder, assault and violating the Gatherings Act for utterances made about seven years ago during a protest.
ANC provincial secretary Neville Delport wrote to Lili on Friday to inform him of the decision.
“Please be advised that the PEC (Provincial Executive Committee) dated Thursday 7 March 2024, has resolved that you are hereby informed to resume your duty as an ANC member,” Delport wrote in his letter.
Lili told “Cape Times” on Monday that the lifting of the “step-aside rule” was long overdue.
“They should have done it last year, but because of the candidate list process, they delayed it. The plan from some of them in the PEC was that I do not emerge from the list process,” he said.
Lili charged that “the step-aside” was also used last year to block him from contesting in the provincial conference.
“The only reason they blocked me was that I availed myself for any position from the provincial chairperson.
They tried by all means. The case of assault on the teacher was not there. It was perjury and was about destroying my future in politics,” he said.
Lili, who was unsure if he made the cut on the candidate list, said should he not be re-elected as an MPL, he would spend more time on reviving the Ses’khona People’s Movement.
“I will lead Ses’khona very well now to serve the communities. I welcome the decision to lift the step-aside though they abused me emotionally. When I see them (PEC members), I don’t see them as genuine comrades because of what they did against me.”
He claimed that branches were pressured not to nominate him during the candidate list process.
“Despite that I made it onto the list. I am proud of the ANC branches that they showed trust in me. They put me in a good place. I am happy I was on number 10 in the raw list. I don’t even doubt it that I would have been number one on the list were it not for the shenanigans,” Lili added.
ANC provincial spokesperson Khalid Sayed confirmed that Lili will continue with his work as an MPL.
Cape Times