Elias Sekgobelo Magashule (Ace)

A credible challenger would have to be a compromise candidate who could straddle both Ramaphosa's reformist faction and the ANC's so-called Radical Economic Transformation (RET) group headed by suspended party Secretary-General Ace Magashule whose trial on serial corruption charges begins on 19 February...

The leading lights in the RET wing are former President Zuma suspended ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule Tony Yengeni who was convicted of fraud and Mzwandile Masina who was ousted as Mayor of Ekurhuleni by the Democratic Alliance (DA) after local government elections on 1 November...

It will include the most detailed critique yet and accusations of grand corruption by Zuma Ace Magashule and their political and business allies...

The ANC took its biggest hits in Gauteng which includes the commercial heartland of Johannesburg and the administrative capital of Pretoria in KwaZulu Natal and in Free State where suspended ANC Secretary-General and former Premier Ace Magashule faces a fraud trial...

An ANC insider said that while a challenge to Ramaphosa's leadership next year is unlikely there would be strong competition for the deputy presidency and secretary-general posts following the upcoming fraud trial of suspended Secretary-General Ace Magashule...

but Vuyiso 'JJ' Tyahalisisu the Dullah Omar region secretary and said to be the real power in the party there supports Secretary General Ace Magashule...

The reshuffle has struck a decisive blow to the so-called Radical Economic Transformation (RET) wing of former President Jacob Zuma and suspended ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule both of whom face protracted corruption trials (AC Vol 61 No 23 Ace arrest boosts Cyril)...

Makhura's cabinet has now been purged of politicians affiliated to former President Jacob Zuma or Ace Magashule the embattled party secretary-general but remains a hotbed of intrigue...

The main split is between supporters of ex-President Zuma and ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule on one side and those of President Cyril Ramaphosa on the other...

Other key Zuma loyalists are facing investigation including: former party chief Ace Magashule; Carl Niehaus of MK who is already facing criminal charges and suspension from the ANC; and Zandile Gumede former Mayor of eThekwini (a municipality including Durban) who is also facing corruption charges...