ANC national executive committee (NEC) member and deputy chair of the party’s international relations sub-committee Obed Bapela has been removed from his position after allegedly misrepresenting himself and the party’s stance on Western Sahara during his trip to Morocco.
Bapela apparently called for enhanced economic cooperation between South Africa and Morocco and supported that country’s reintegration into the African Union.
According to a letter from the ANC secretary general’s office, Bapela is accused of falsely presenting the trip as a sanctioned ANC visit and him being part of an official ANC delegation.
His actions came under scrutiny for contradicting the party’s position on Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara.
The ANC has long supported the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination and has condemned Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara. The party sees this as a violation of international law and has called for the implementation of United Nations resolutions demanding a referendum for the Sahrawi people.
Bapela initially claimed the visit was personal.
In a statement released on Friday, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said Bapela had failed to provide a comprehensive explanation regarding the meeting in Morocco and why his actions should not be viewed as a violation of ANC policies and principles.
“[This raised] serious questions about his judgment and commitment to the movement’s values,” she said.
“As a result, the ANC wishes to advise that Comrade Obed Bapela has been relieved of his duties as deputy chairperson and as a member of the ANC NEC subcommittee on international relations,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.
In addition to his removal, the ANC’s secretary general has referred the case for potential disciplinary action, citing Bapela’s failure to adhere to the resolutions of the ANC’s 55th national conference and earlier mandates.
“His pronouncements stood firmly against the letter and spirit of our 55th national conference resolutions, causing confusion on our policy positions on Western Sahara and causing uneasiness in our fraternal relations amongst our allies, including the Polisario Front and the government of the Sahrawi Republic,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.
She confirmed that Bapela had spoken in favour of stronger economic ties with Morocco, despite the country’s “illegal occupation” of Western Sahara.
“The ANC has a principled and longstanding position of solidarity with the people of Western Sahara, based on our commitment to anti-colonialism and the right to self-determination,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.
Senior members are expected to act with morality and discipline, fully understanding the significance of their roles in upholding the ANC’s principles, she said.
“This incident serves as a reminder of the responsibility entrusted to all ANC members to uphold the party’s principles in both word and deed,” Bhengu-Motsiri said.
Bapela could not be reached for comment by the time of publication
