Zukile Majova
South Africans are forced to watch helplessly as the ANC continues to pay lip service to fighting graft in the public service.
Over the weekend, the ANC in eThekwini raised the middle finger to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s effort to get rid of party leaders implicated in the looting of state resources by electing Zandile Gumede to be chairperson of the region.
The election places Gumede in line to once again be the mayor of the R40 billion eThekwini Municipality.
During her last tenure as mayor, Gumede approved dubious projects designed to collapse the capacity of the municipality while enriching her comrades in the ANC.
She and 20 others are charged with over 2,000 counts of fraud and corruption in the controversial Durban Solid Waste Project that drained R430 million from the coffers of the municipality.
Gumede, who was elected in absentia, confirmed she would remain in touch with the rest of the ANC regional leadership.
“I am happy and also emotional if I think about where I come from. It’s been four years now. I have been struggling, I’ve been in difficulties but today the truth has come out. Thank you so much to the branches of the ANC. I am overwhelmed,” she told the SABC.
The ANC conference in eThekwini also gave a platform for disgraced former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize who was booted out of government for his alleged involvement in the R150 million communications tender in the health department.
Last week, the ANC conference in Mpumalanga elected murder accused Mandla Msibi to be the provincial treasurer.
In Emalahleni, delegates elected Ntuthuko Mahlaba, the former mayor of Newcastle to the position of regional chairperson despite being convicted of assault and malicious damage to property and sentenced to two years in jail or a fine of R20,000.
As the ANC goes to its national elective conference in December, the party’s 5,000 delegates could be opposed to the implementation of the step aside regulations.
Many, including suspended party secretary Ace Magashule have claimed the ruling faction is using the resolution to settle political scores while Ramaphosa loyalists like Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe are treated with kid gloves.
On the other hand, the Ramaphosa faction is adamant that ANC cadres implicated in corruption must face the full might of the law.
Image source: @Mail&Guardian
