GENEVIEVE QUINTAL: A battle looms as Ace Magashule dares the ANC to remove him

Friday marks the beginning of a very long political battle. ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule is making his second appearance in the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court on charges linked to a R255m asbestos contract signed during his tenure as Free State premier. He is facing 21 charges of corruption and fraud, including theft and money laundering.

While the actual court proceedings are expected to be quite mundane and brief, the real action is going to be outside. What happens legally doesn’t really matter — these court cases can take forever to come to a conclusion. It is the politics that is going to have a more immediate effect on the future of the ANC and the country...