The South African High Court sitting in Johannesburg has dismissed an appeal by suspended African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Ace Magashule to reclaim his job in the ruling party.
Magashule had lodged the leave to appeal application in the High Court, saying it had erred in upholding his suspension.
He was suspended in May this year after refusing to step aside in accordance with an ANC resolution that required all party members facing criminal charges to be cleared by the courts before resuming their positions.
Magashule defied the ANC, which, in turn, had no choice but to suspend him from the office.
He was charged with corruption related to a multi-million-dollar asbestos project when he was Free State premier.
Magashule denies the charges.
But reacting to the ruling, the ANC said it was vindicated by the high court’s dismissal of Magashule’s application to appeal, and hold its earlier decision to uphold his suspension.
The party’s step-aside rule was well within the law, ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said on Tuesday.
NM/jn/APA