The first appearance of ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule in the asbestos corruption case will be a test of his power and his ability to mobilise support within the governing party.
ANC Free State members, in both the provincial executive and the youth league, have pledged to mobilise support for the second most powerful figure in the ANC.
Insiders close to Magashule told News24 on Thursday that leaders from various provinces, including Limpopo, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and North West, are expected to descend on Mangaung on Friday.