THE most important internal dispute to disrupt the African National Congress since it took power in May 1994 took a decisive turn yesterday with the expulsion from its ranks of the former Transkei military ruler, Gen Bantu Holomisa.
Gen Holomisa, whose popularity won him the highest vote in elections to the ANC executive in December 1994, was found guilty of misconduct, conduct unbecoming an ANC member", and bringing the party into disrepute.
His expulsion, announced by an ANC disciplinary committee after a hearing at party headquarters, came after Gen Holomisa had earlier walked out of the party tribunal, accusing its chairman, Mr Zola Skweyiya, of "steamrolling" proceedings.
Yesterday's disciplinary hearing was a culmination of a process stretching back to May, when Gen Holomisa aroused the wrath of the ANC leadership by accusing an ANC cabinet minister, Ms Stella Sigcau, of accepting part of a two million rand bribe paid by the casino mogul Mr Sol Kerzner to secure a gambling monopoly.
He later aggravated matters by asserting that the ANC had itself received a two million rand donation from Mr Kerzner a charge initially denied by the ANC but later confirmed by President Mandela - and that ANC leaders -including Deputy President, Mr Thabo Mbeki - had accepted favours from the tycoon.
The outlook seemed bleak for Gen Holomisa yesterday - unless he can reverse the decision on appeal, he will automatically forfeit the parliamentary seat he was allotted as a nominee on the ANC list of candidates. His Transkei power-base was dissolved with its reincorporation into South Africa in April 1994, leaving him with little to tall back on.
Gen Holomisa, however, refused to be cowed by his ejection.
"I still remain through and through a member of the ANC, he said. My fate will not be decided by Zola Skweyiya, who has a disregard for procedures."
Confirming that he planned to appeal to the ANC National Executive Committee, he said: "I'm happy that the matter will be heard where I wanted it to be raised all along It needs political debate and at the NEC it will be debated at length.
A rebuff by the NEC would leave him with one last recourse: an appeal to the courts based on the belief that the ANC has acted unfairly or in violation of its own constitution.