The veterans and stalwarts of the African National Congress (ANC) on Wednesday called on all party members tainted and implicated in any form of corruption to introspect and step down.

Addressing the media at heritage site Liliesleaf in Johannesburg, president of the ANC Veterans’ League Snuki Zikalala said the organisation was working hard to mobilise people to ensure that the ANC won the national election on May 8.

“We are cleansing the organisation. We want to deliver on our mandate. We are concerned that there are members who are tainted and implicated [and they] should not stand for nominations. We are working hard mobilising all senior citizens to vote for the glorious movement,” said Zikalala.

ANC stalwart Cheryl Carolus said the process of cleansing the movement has just begun and appealed to party supporters to stand up against corruption.

“We are rebuilding the movement of the ANC. We encourage people to vote next to [President Cyril] Ramaphosa’s face on May 8. We want President Ramaphosa to win to deal decisively with the issues at hand. We believe that the recent changes are a step in the right direction. I am determined to work hard to make sure that the ANC gets an even bigger victory in May,” she declared.

Carolus went on to state that all political parties were tainted and that most needed “to be cleansed” adding that they, therefore, did not have the right to “point fingers at the ANC”.

She encouraged all South Africans to vote for the ANC, come May 8.

She revealed that the veterans and stalwarts were aware that there were ANC members who did not vote in the previous election, as the party grappled with internal issues.

However, she assured them that the restoration of ethical leadership was working.

ANC veteran Mavuso Msimang said the recent commissions of enquiry were an indication that under the leadership of Ramaphosa the ANC was taking a step in the right direction.

He said the resolutions made during the ANC’s 2017 National Elective Conference highlighted who was eligible to represent the ANC and who was not. He said it had been spelled out clearly that all those tainted should not be nominated to leadership positions.

“The issue of innocent until proven guilty does not work like that in the ANC. Leaders who fail certain standards should withdraw themselves. It is in the interest of the ANC. Some have been found by public institutions like the courts to be in breach by lying. We don’t expect such people to be on the [party] list. If they step down, everyone would vote for the movement, without a doubt,” Msimang said.

Jackie Sedibe said the veterans league wanted to issue a warning to those implicated in wrongdoing.

“We are dealing with the people who have disgraced the organisation. They must do the right thing now,” she said.