The Strategic Dialogue Group -- made up of ANC veterans and former 1976 student leaders -- says the appearance of ANC members next to Magashule outside the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court has embarrassed the party.

Magashule, who is charged with money-laundering and fraud, addressed thousands of supporters and ANC members after his appearance.

“If you’ve got people that are leading this glorious movement that’s supposed to carry the hopes and aspirations of our people, and in the process destroy the brand of the organisation, and by implication the brand of our country and our people," said Billy Ramokgopa.

"We feel we are clearly off course and this is something that needs to be corrected. It cannot be condoned.”

The group says the ANC’s pursuit of unity should not only include NEC members. 

It says those who supported Magashule must be charged in order to unify ANC members. 

“We cannot talk about unity of few wrongdoers who tend to be in the centre. The unity that we are concerned about is the unity of the general membership of the organisation," Ramokgopa said.

"It’s the unity of the people of SA. The unity that say let’s build a working SA. Anything that will be seen to be uniting few people that are doing wrong things, on our behalf, is unacceptable. And it needs to be brought to a stop.”

But the ANC is reticent to condemn Magashule's supporters.

“There’s an ANC decision to say members of the ANC can go in their personal capacity to support a comrade as and when he or she appears before the courts," said Nomvula Mokonyane, ANC head of organising.

"So it’s not a debate. It is a decision. The only thing that has been said as a very very assertive statement to say they go there as individuals and not as delegated by the NEC.”

The NEC is scheduled to meet next weekend when the Strategic Dialogue Group plans to lobby for action to be taken.

eNCA