Carl Niehaus expelled from ANC

The ANC national disciplinary committee (NDC) has expelled former ANC spokesperson Carl Niehaus after a disciplinary hearing where he “failed to show remorse”.

The ex-Umkhonto we Sizwe member was charged with six counts of misconduct and “foreign” ANC behaviour, after public remarks he made during and after the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma last year for contempt of court for refusing to appear at the Zondo commission of inquiry.

According to the NDC, it was unlikely Niehaus could be rehabilitated, hence the harsh sentence of expulsion.

The charges included comments he made on July 2 2021 at KwaDakwadunuse, Nkandla, outside Zuma’s home.

Niehaus had told media live on national TV that “the ruling of the Constitutional Court is a travesty of justice. President Zuma’s legal problems were caused by political factionalism and shenanigans between state authorities, especially the NPA and some politicians within the ANC”.

Two days later, Niehaus made further public statements, saying “no-one can let Msholozi go to jail, never”.

On June 29, Niehaus attacked the judiciary, saying “our courts have clearly been captured. We are living in a dictatorship of the judiciary and the courts have become a tool for factional political battles to target certain politicians, while others are let off the hook”.

The NDC found Niehaus’s behaviour to have brought the ANC into disrepute and his lack of remorse did not do him any favours.

“The NDC is of the view that the charges for which the member has been found guilty are very serious. As such, the member’s plea that he be sanctioned with a reprimand, if found guilty, is wholly inappropriate.

“The member showed no remorse and persisted with his view that the ANC was acting in violation of its constitution and his rights by disciplining him,” the NDC said.

“The NDC is of the view that the interests and integrity of the organisation warrant protection and the interests of the individual member is subservient to the interests of the organisation.

“Niehaus is expelled from the ANC.”

Niehaus said on Monday he had already appealed the decision..

In his notice of appeal, Niehaus’s legal papers state he will present the grounds of appeal within seven days.

Niehaus said he had received a phone call from Supra Mahumapelo informing him about his expulsion.

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Niehaus is the third member of the ANC’s so-called RET faction to suffer a devastating political blow, after Bathabile Dlamini and Tony Yengeni were disqualified from standing for NEC re-election in the December 16-20 national conference owing to their past criminal convictions. 

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