The African National Congress's (ANC's) national executive committee will convene a special meeting on Sunday to discuss the reports from its integrity commission which clear President Cyril Ramaphosa and recommend that secretary-general Ace Magashule step aside. 

News24 understands that the meeting will be dedicated to processing reports by the party's group of elders on some of the top leaders who have appeared before them. 

In some reports - like in Magashule's case - the integrity commission has made damning findings against top party members. 

The meeting comes after the last NEC meeting in February noted that all reports of the integrity commission (IC) "must be processed in a principled and consistent manner" and must be discussed in a joint session with the integrity commission.

A party insider said Sunday's meeting was expected to be an in-depth discussion on the reports and the subsequent action needed to be taken.

In a three-page report, the integrity commission recommended that Magashule step aside, pending the outcome of his fraud and corruption case. 

The commission said the party's conference decisions must apply "without fear or favour", noting that ANC members who are formally charged should step aside pending the finalisation of their cases.

Despite the report, the ANC NEC has been sitting on the matter, opting to finalise the guidelines which would govern the party's "step-aside" policy for those charged with corruption. 

Ramaphosa is also expected to be discussed at the NEC meeting.

In December, the commission's report on the president was released, in which they chastised him for evading them for months - but in the end cleared him of accusations linked to campaign funds.

In a report written by committee chairperson George Mashamba, which News24 has seen, the body of ANC elders said it was disappointed that, when he finally appeared before them on 19 November, the president did not want to discuss his CR17 campaign funds - the basis for his appearance before the committee - until the legal side of the matter was finalised.  

The integrity commission did not make an adverse finding against him in relation to the accusation that he and his campaign had used money to buy votes at the ANC's 2017 national elective conference at Nasrec.

"... with regard to the buying of votes subsequent to the 2017 conference, the IC strongly recommends that if any comrade has irrefutable evidence of this, it must be brought to the notice of the disciplinary committee as a matter of urgency," the report dated 21 December says. 

Party insiders said the report was likely to prompt debate within the NEC and a push to have action taken against the buying of votes - a proxy battle against Ramaphosa and his allies. 

Other reports that are expected to be discussed include one on Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa, who was cleared of accusations that he improperly benefitted from businessman Edwin Sodi.

Kodwa is one of the high-ranking ANC officials who allegedly benefitted from Sodi's largesse, according to Sodi's own testimony before the Zondo commission in September last year.

Sodi has since been charged with corruption relating to a dodgy asbestos audit project in the Free State.

According to the IC's report, dated 9 January, which News24 has seen, Kodwa had requested an audience in connection with his name having been negatively mentioned at the Zondo commission.

He appeared before the IC via Zoom teleconferencing on 5 December.

The party was expected to process a few other reports on its top members as well. 

At the same time, there is likely to be a discussion on professionalising the work of the integrity commission, which has been accused of siding with political factions in the party. 

Efforts to get comment from Mashamba were unsuccessful. His comment will be added once received.