Two Buffalo City ANC regional leaders linked to the Mandela memorial funds scandal – including regional secretary Pumlani Mkolo – face suspension after the conclusion of an investigation by the party’s national integrity committee (IC).
The investigation followed a Daily Dispatch exposé which detailed how R5.9-million meant to transport mourners to several memorial services around Buffalo City Metro for the late former president Nelson Mandela in 2013 was instead allegedly paid into an account linked to businessman Mzwandile Sokwali.
During its investigation, the Dispatch uncovered how the money was then allegedly channelled into accounts belonging to several local businessmen and women, including Dean Fanoe and Viwe Vazi.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe confirmed yesterday that the integrity report implicating Mkolo, ANC regional deputy chairwoman Luleka Simon-Ndzele – who also serves as BCM speaker – and regional executive committee (REC) additional member Sindiswa Gomba, was delivered to the ANC’s provincial headquarters at Calata House last Friday.
“They are the ones who can shed light on what is contained in that report,” said Mantashe.
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa also confirmed yesterday the report had been finalised.
“The report has been sent to the province. Please talk to them,” said Kodwa.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane refused to confirm the contents of the report, saying it was too sensitive to be discussed with the media “before allowing those affected to receive it through proper channels”.
“But in the same breath, I can safely say that if we had received the outcome of this integrity committee before the elective conference last November, we would have acted differently.”
Mabuyane was referring to the ANC regional conference which elected Mkolo to serve a second term as BCM regional secretary, his co-accused Simon-Ndzele as deputy regional chairwoman and Gomba to serve as an REC additional member.
The Andrew Mlangeni lead integrity committee cleared Gomba of any wrong doing. "Thus the IC can make no adverse finding or recommends on comrade Gomba" wrote Mlangeni in the report.
The Dispatch understands that Sokwali’s plea bargain has been submitted as part of the evidence against the group, and that Kodwa – who is head of ANC national deployees in the province – also submitted a report of his own investigation as part of the evidence.
Mabuyane said: “The PEC welcomes the IC recommendations and they will be implemented as recommended.”
A senior ANC leader with knowledge of the report – dated March 2015 – said it recommended that Mkolo be placed on suspension as regional secretary and as a member of the party until the court case had been finalised.
“Pending those outcomes, we will only know then whether to conduct disciplinary action or lift the suspension. That all depends on the outcome of the court case,” said the source.
The report also recommends that BCM speaker Simon-Ndzele – who was also found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute – be demoted to an ordinary councillor, and also suspended as the ANC’s deputy chairwoman.
Former deputy mayor Themba Tinta and former mayor Zukiswa Ncitha had to be demoted from their senior Council positions and be ordinary councillors. But the report has since been taken over by events and therefore Tinta and Ncitha will retain their positions as Bhisho MPL and Member of Parliament respectively.
Sokwali, who was subsequently arrested by the Hawks for his involvement, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in December 2014 while his wife Busisiwe Boti entered into a plea bargain with the state.
Mabuyane said the report’s recommendations were based on the fact that the “name of the ANC had been put into the spotlight for the wrong reasons”.
“Central to these recommendations is being found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute. The sanction will be effected as recommended in the report, but that will be until the court case is finalised,” said Mabuyane.
He said if anyone was found guilty in a court of law, ANC disciplinary processes would resume immediately.
Mkolo was re-elected as regional secretary of the Dr WB Rubusana (formerly Buffalo City Metro) region in December after being on special leave for more than eight months for his alleged involvement in the fraud.
Ncitha and Tinta were recalled last June as mayor and deputy mayor and re-deployed to parliament and the Bhisho legislature.
Mkolo, Gomba and Simon-Ndzele said they had not received the report by late yesterday.
“I have yet to see such a report. We will wait and see,” said Gomba yesterday.
Ncitha and Tinta could not be reached for comment at the time of writing. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
ANC acts on Madiba fund fraud accused
The investigation followed a Daily Dispatch exposé which detailed how R5.9-million meant to transport mourners to several memorial services around Buffalo City Metro for the late former president Nelson Mandela in 2013 was instead allegedly paid into an account linked to businessman Mzwandile Sokwali.
During its investigation, the Dispatch uncovered how the money was then allegedly channelled into accounts belonging to several local businessmen and women, including Dean Fanoe and Viwe Vazi.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe confirmed yesterday that the integrity report implicating Mkolo, ANC regional deputy chairwoman Luleka Simon-Ndzele – who also serves as BCM speaker – and regional executive committee (REC) additional member Sindiswa Gomba, was delivered to the ANC’s provincial headquarters at Calata House last Friday.
“They are the ones who can shed light on what is contained in that report,” said Mantashe.
ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa also confirmed yesterday the report had been finalised.
“The report has been sent to the province. Please talk to them,” said Kodwa.
ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane refused to confirm the contents of the report, saying it was too sensitive to be discussed with the media “before allowing those affected to receive it through proper channels”.
“But in the same breath, I can safely say that if we had received the outcome of this integrity committee before the elective conference last November, we would have acted differently.”
Mabuyane was referring to the ANC regional conference which elected Mkolo to serve a second term as BCM regional secretary, his co-accused Simon-Ndzele as deputy regional chairwoman and Gomba to serve as an REC additional member.
The Andrew Mlangeni lead integrity committee cleared Gomba of any wrong doing. "Thus the IC can make no adverse finding or recommends on comrade Gomba" wrote Mlangeni in the report.
The Dispatch understands that Sokwali’s plea bargain has been submitted as part of the evidence against the group, and that Kodwa – who is head of ANC national deployees in the province – also submitted a report of his own investigation as part of the evidence.
Mabuyane said: “The PEC welcomes the IC recommendations and they will be implemented as recommended.”
A senior ANC leader with knowledge of the report – dated March 2015 – said it recommended that Mkolo be placed on suspension as regional secretary and as a member of the party until the court case had been finalised.
“Pending those outcomes, we will only know then whether to conduct disciplinary action or lift the suspension. That all depends on the outcome of the court case,” said the source.
The report also recommends that BCM speaker Simon-Ndzele – who was also found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute – be demoted to an ordinary councillor, and also suspended as the ANC’s deputy chairwoman.
Former deputy mayor Themba Tinta and former mayor Zukiswa Ncitha had to be demoted from their senior Council positions and be ordinary councillors. But the report has since been taken over by events and therefore Tinta and Ncitha will retain their positions as Bhisho MPL and Member of Parliament respectively.
Sokwali, who was subsequently arrested by the Hawks for his involvement, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in December 2014 while his wife Busisiwe Boti entered into a plea bargain with the state.
Mabuyane said the report’s recommendations were based on the fact that the “name of the ANC had been put into the spotlight for the wrong reasons”.
“Central to these recommendations is being found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute. The sanction will be effected as recommended in the report, but that will be until the court case is finalised,” said Mabuyane.
He said if anyone was found guilty in a court of law, ANC disciplinary processes would resume immediately.
Mkolo was re-elected as regional secretary of the Dr WB Rubusana (formerly Buffalo City Metro) region in December after being on special leave for more than eight months for his alleged involvement in the fraud.
Ncitha and Tinta were recalled last June as mayor and deputy mayor and re-deployed to parliament and the Bhisho legislature.
Mkolo, Gomba and Simon-Ndzele said they had not received the report by late yesterday.
“I have yet to see such a report. We will wait and see,” said Gomba yesterday.
Ncitha and Tinta could not be reached for comment at the time of writing. — zineg@dispatch.co.za
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