The African National Congress (ANC) looks set to tighten, and add the controversial step-aside rule to its constitution, at its national conference in December.
The publication has seen a draft constitutional amendment document, that’s been circulated to its branches.
The documents show several sweeping changes to the constitution; amendment 16 of the draft constitutional amendment document deals with plans to constitutionalize the temporary suspension and voluntary step aside process.
The proposed amendment also looks to streamline the temporary suspension and step-aside mechanisms.
For the constitutional amendment to pass, it would need two-thirds majority of support from ANC branches.
The step-aside resolution has been under scrutiny, dividing opinion within the party, since it was adopted at the 54th Nasrec conference in 2017.
The conference saw the party take a firm stance, to bar those implicated in serious crimes, from standing for leadership positions.
The step-aside resolution again took centre stage at the party’s national policy conference in Nasrec last month.
While its geared at cleaning up the party’s battered image, the ANC has come under fire by its members, who’ve criticised the policy for its perceived contradictions.
KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, two of the ANC strongest provinces, remain opposed to the resolution.
