President Ramaphosa disclosed this during his closing address to the three-day national executive committee (NEC) meeting.

Ramaphosa was issued a suspension letter by the embattled secretary-general just hours after it emerged that the ANC national working committee had served Magashule with his own suspension letter.

Magashule is facing corruption charges but has refused to step aside.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa said that Magashule had no authority or mandate from any of the party’s structures to draft a suspension letter in his name.

"The NEC agree that such conduct was completely unacceptable and a flagrant violation of the rules, the norms, and the values of the African National Congress," Ramaphosa said.

Magashule’s temporary suspension bars him from doing any of his duties, speaking on behalf of the organisation or on any of its matters as well as mobilising across ANC structures.

He has, however, insisted that he had the right to continue as if it was business as usual because he had appealed his sanction.

EWN/Tshidi Madia