Mantashe, Gungubele lock horns over Phala Phala

Section 89 Independent Panel report, which alleged he might have violated his oath of office regarding the theft of foreign currency from his Phala Phala game farm.

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The ANC had earlier issued a notice it would intervene on the president's side but on Wednesday the party announced it was abandoning that application.

The ANC’s top seven apparently made the decision to intervene without the knowledge of the NWC, which typically approves major decisions regarding the party’s daily operations.

Sources said a group of NWC members, with Gungubele leading the charge, voiced their disapproval of the decision to involve the ANC in that litigation. The other three, our insiders said, were former minister Zizi Kodwa, deputy minister Nonceba Mhlauli and communications portfolio committee chair Khusela Sangoni.

They are said to have argued strongly that the national officials’ decision to involve the ANC in the impeachment committee was wrong and misguided.

Mantashe, secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, and international relations minister Ronald Lamola attempted to justify the position.

But Gungubele and the group were apparently not budging, which escalated tension in the meeting, with Mantashe struggling to maintain order.

Gungubele apparently felt Mantashe was muzzling his dissenting view and refused to listen, leading to a screaming match that almost descended into a physical altercation.