ANC veterans call for exclusion of state capture-accused members
The ANC Vetereans League has called fror ANC heavyweights accused of State capture to be excluded from the upcoming elections
State Capture-accused ANC heavyweights such as national chairperson and Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa, Deputy Defence Minister Thabang Makwetla, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo, should not be allowed to run for elections or to stand as public officials.
This is according to ANC Veterans’ League president Snuki Zikalala, who says the party would find itself in a “tricky” position if it allows those implicated in state capture to stand as public officials. He thinks it would taint the image of the party.
SMALLA-NYANA SKELETONS IN THE CLOSETS
“The biggest problem we have in the ANC is that we have a trust deficit in society. If we need to bring back that trust in society, it means we have to put people with impeccable credentials — people who, when society looks at them, will believe in them and that these people are not going to steal from the public purse,” Zikalala said.
Zikalala told the Mail & Guardian that the ANC should not allow tainted individuals or those with “smallanyana skeletons” to stand as representatives of the provincial and national legislature. At least 97 ANC members were mentioned in the state capture report, including former ministers and current ANC MPs.
ONLY 5 ANC MEMBERS HAVE GONE TO THE INTEGRITY COMMITTEE – ZIKALALA
Zikalala said the party’s highest decision-making body, the National Executive Council (NEC), decided in February 2023 to send their comrades implicated in state capture to the party’s integrity commission and face a disciplinary process.
“Only five have gone to the integrity committee. The remaining must explain why they have not gone to the integrity commission,” he said.
OTHER ANC HEAVYWEIGHTS IMPLICATED
Other heavyweights implicated in State Capture include National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. She allegedly took bribes totaling R2.3 million from a South African National Defence Force contractor while she headed the defense ministry.
ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile has been accused by the Democratic Alliance (DA) of benefiting from a web of nepotism and family patronage. Last month, Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen opened a corruption case against Mashatile, accusing him of profiting from nepotism.
FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR PARTIES TO SUBMIT CANDIDATE LISTS
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the party had yet to discuss whether those implicated in the state capture report should be included in the legislature lists.
The deadline of 8 March is approaching for parties to submit their candidates for national and provincial lists. Parties have until Friday to offer lists of their national and provincial candidates for the upcoming elections.