Suspended ANC MPL, Andile Lili, who believes his party’s “step-aside” rule was wrongly applied to him, is seeking legal advice over whether he could interdict the decision before the 9th elective provincial congress this weekend.
The party placed Lili on step-aside in February, barring him from representing the ANC or appearing at gatherings until his legal matters came to a conclusion.
This, after he appeared in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on charges of assaulting the principal of Inkanini Primary School – a woman.
According to Lili, the ANC had sent a “vague letter” informing him of the decision, and his attorney wrote to the party, but they never received a response.
In a letter seen by the Cape Times from Naven Pillay Attorneys to the ANC, the lawyers called for clarity over Lili’s position in the party.
“There are no details of what exactly it is that has given rise to Mr Lili being subjected to the step-aside policy.
“ Please kindly supply the detailed allegations that you relied upon to arrive at the decision to take action against him, in this manner,” the letter read.
ANC Western Cape spokesperson, Sifiso Mtsweni, said all processes leading to the conference had been thorough and fair.
“All branches have made their nominations known and all disputes by branches were attended to thoroughly, not a single branch raised misgivings about matters relating to Mr Lili, at best we only see these in the media.”
Mtsweni said Lili had been placed on step-aside in line with the guidelines of the ANC.
Mtsweni said Lili had the right to take the matter on legal review.
Cape Times