Nobody will stop me from supporting Ace Magashule - Yengeni
Scores of the African National Congress (ANC) members have gathered outside the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court where the party's secretary-general, Ace Magushule, is set to appear.
Magashule is expected to appear in court on Friday morning for his alleged role in the Free State's R255-million asbestos audit contract.
The party's deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte on Wednesday said the organisation took a decision not to attend the court appearance in order to keep unity in the party.
Duarte emphasised the party members can attend the court appearance but not on behalf of the party.
However, member of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) Tony Yengeni said no such the was taken by the party.
"These people who are here, most of them if not all of them, are members of the ANC, I am a member of the ANC, I'm a member of the national executive committee.
"I'm here in my right as a member of the African National Congress, not just as an individual and nobody is going to deny me the right to be here wearing ANC colours.
"I fought for these colours, I took arms for these colours, I went to prison for these colours. So no one is going to stop me from supporting the SG of the ANC in these colours," said Yengeni.
Yengeni was speaking to the SABC outside the Mangaung Magistrates court on Friday morning.
The party's deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte on Wednesday said the organisation took a decision not to attend the court appearance in order to keep unity in the party.
Duarte emphasised the party members can attend the court appearance but not on behalf of the party.
However, member of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) Tony Yengeni said no such the was taken by the party.
"These people who are here, most of them if not all of them, are members of the ANC, I am a member of the ANC, I'm a member of the national executive committee.
"I'm here in my right as a member of the African National Congress, not just as an individual and nobody is going to deny me the right to be here wearing ANC colours.
"I fought for these colours, I took arms for these colours, I went to prison for these colours. So no one is going to stop me from supporting the SG of the ANC in these colours," said Yengeni.
Yengeni was speaking to the SABC outside the Mangaung Magistrates court on Friday morning.
Former cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba is also at Mangaung in support of Magashule.