Publications
ANC alliance partners in Limpopo are scathing of the VBS-linked leadership that aims to contest the provincial elective conference with Premier Stan Mathabatha as candidate for chairperson.
The SA Communist Party (SACP) and SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco) have come out in support of a credible and scandal-free leadership that should take the reigns of the party and, by extension, government.
Limpopo SACP spokesperson Machike Thobejane said the party’s message from its provincial elective conference last weekend was that the ANC was infested with undesirable elements that had to be removed.
“We are not interested in the ANC’s factions, but conference outcomes.” Thobejane said:
“We can’t be led by thieves and their friends. Whether they are VBS or charged in courts, those people must not be voted into office.”
The so-called VBS faction has announced that it intends electing three comrades implicated in the Venda Burial Society [VBS] Mutual Bank scandal into the top five. They are current provincial treasurer Danny Msiza, and former Vhembe and Lepelle Nkumpi mayors, Florence Radzilani and Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana, respectively.
Msiza is undergoing trial for racketeering, theft, fraud and money laundering after he was implicated in the Reserve Bank’s report – The Great Bank Heist – which revealed how greedy individuals cost the poorest of the poor their hard-earned cash as they splurged the funds, leading to the liquidation of the bank when it went R2.3 billion into the red.
Radzilani’s municipality invested R300 million in the bank, despite the law not allowing municipalities to invest in mutual banks, while Sibanda-Kekana’s municipality invested R150 million.
READ: Radebe vies for deputy ANC post
Msiza is tipped to be ANC provincial secretary, Radzilani deputy chairperson and Sibanda-Kekana treasurer. Radzilani and Sibanda-Kekana were fired as mayors after the release of the report but were “promoted” to the provincial legislature.
Limpopo is in distress
Sanco provincial spokesperson Sipho Dikgale said in a statement on Tuesday that it was opposed to Mathabatha’s intention to stand for a third term as ANC chairperson.
“The slate led by the current ANC chairperson does not convey any sense of commitment to fight against corruption. The slate is more about stomach politics. We should fear for the worst and the worst has a name. It is called corruption, looting, maladministration, losing 2023 general elections and no service delivery. At Sanco, we are not surprised that the chairperson is forever rehearsing the same statement about corruption without any actions.
“We have no reason to seal our lips when we see two dominant slates doing the rounds on social media ahead of the ANC provincial conference. Limpopo is really in distress and all our people need a credible leader who is intellectually and physically fit and has sufficient interest in reviving and returning the province to the path of progress. Limpopo voters are asking the ANC to give them leaders, not managers, to lead the ANC to victory in the 2023 general elections. Dikgale said:
Mathabatha’s spokesperson, Willy Mosoma, was not available to comment about Sanco’s allegation that the premier had not acted against corruption.
Mathabatha intends to stand as national ANC chairperson in December. He would, however, want to contest the position as provincial chairperson. Limpopo will convene its conference in June.
READ: Big shots team up against Mathabatha
Mathabatha will contest the chairpersonship with Public Works MEC Dr Dickson Masemola. Masemola has joined forces with current secretary, Soviet Lekganyane, who will contest as secretary again. Mopani regional chairperson Pule Shayi will contest as deputy chairperson.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
