Nine political parties, including the ANC, had until midday on Wednesday to give reasons the Elections Commission (IEC) should not remove 53 names from their respective election lists.
Included in the list of those red-flagged are ANC leaders Malusi Gigaba, ANC chair Gwede Mantashe, deputy president David Mabuza, national executive committee members (NEC) Nomvula Mokonyane, Bathabile Dlamini, David Mahlobo and Faith Muthambi.
IEC head Sy Mamabolo confirmed receiving the objections, saying it was part of the evolving electoral process. “Part of the process is to afford parties whose candidates have been objected an opportunity to respond.”
The Dispatch has seen a copy of the letter the IEC senior manager of electoral matters, Gran-ville Abrahams, wrote to ANC secretary general Ace Magashule.
In the letter Abrahams states that concerned citizens viewed these individuals as “being unbecoming of persons who want to become or continue to be office bearers in parliament and the provincial legislatures”.
Six Eastern Cape-based ANC leaders have also been red-flagged. These are MPs Zoleka Capa, Ndumiso Capa, Beauty Dlulane, Phathekile Holomisa, Cedric Frolick and Lindelwa Dunjwa.
The list also includes former minerals and energy minister Tina Joemat-Petterson, basic education minister Angie Motshekga, and NEC members Zizi Kodwa, Dikeledi Mgadzi, Bongani Bongo, Bhekokwakhe Cele.
MP Vincent Smith, who resigned as portfolio committee head after his name was mentioned in the Bosasa scandal, was also included, as well as Ruth Bengu, Kate Balinkulu, Mosie Cele, Yunus Carrim and Grace Mmatlala.
In his letter, Abrahams said the submission consisted of various allegations against the candidates in respect of, “which is not exhaustive, allegations of corruption as a result or due to the ongoing revelations as canvassed via the Zondo commission, various court cases and information provided via news agencies and social media”.
Abrahams said this also included allegations of criminal acts carried out by some members who have been accused, inter alia, theft, fraud and rape.
“Kindly provide the commission with your response thereto by noon on Wednesday April 3,” wrote Abrahams.
Asked about individual cases and parties implicated in the submissions, Abrahams said the commission “will offer no comment on the merits of the objections until the members of the commission have adjudicated and determined the objection”.
The Wednesday deadline for the nine affected parties comes a day after the ANC NEC met in Irene on Tuesday where it resolved to refer some of the cases to its national integrity committee for further discussion.
But Magashule was confident. In a statement he issued on Tuesday he said everything was above board and that the ANC list had met the legal requirements for candidates set out by the constitution of the republic and the Electoral Act.
He said the ANC “set an even higher bar” by removing all candidates with criminal re-cords, not just for five years, but longer, and “subjected all its candidates to a vetting process”. Magashule said the list had received a stamp of approval from ordinary citizens when the party went on a “door-to-door” campaign. Citizens supported ANC’s processes of dealing with corruption expressed at the commission.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi refused to comment on the matter, saying: “We can't comment because nothing is exactly said about these individual members – probably the headquarters will have the details of these issues and have a comment.”
However, Magashule as well as both ANC spokesmen Pule Mabe and Dakota Legoete did not answer calls nor respond to any text messages at the time of writing...