logo
No place for the corrupt: ANC challenges all parties to match its zero-tolerance stance

No place for the corrupt: ANC challenges all parties to match its zero-tolerance stance

IOL News15-05-2025
South Africa - Johannesburg - 15 May 2025 - Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, ANC Gauteng Provincial Task Team Coordinator Hope Papo and Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko MEC for Health and Wellness. The African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng Provincial Task Team (PTT) announces the outcomes of the two-day Provincial Lekgotla held on 3–4 May 2025 at the Indaba Hotel, Fourways.
The ANC Gauteng coordinator, Hope Papo, has called on other political parties to be like the ANC, and have policies that take disciplinary action against members charged with corruption.
Speaking in Johannesburg on Thursday, Papo stressed that the political system would benefit if all parties introduced policies that discipline members formally charged with corruption—just as the ANC has done through its "step-aside" rule.
'So we encourage all political parties in South Africa to follow the ANC, we are the biggest party, we are doing it, all political parties must do,' he said.
The ANC has implemented a step-aside rule that requires members who are formally charged with corruption or other serious crimes to voluntarily withdraw from party and government activities, failing which they may face suspension.
Papo stated some of the party leaders appeared in criminal courts, but they were not charged they are still leading the organisation, while the ANC leaders were ambushed.
But he said in the ANC, stepping aside was mandatory.
Papo has echoed the party's position on renewal and rebuilding, saying this will be a way for the ANC to reclaim power.
'So, we think that through that policy, we will actually, it will help in renewing the organisation.
'Because ultimately, ANC doesn't arrest, charge, and convict people. That is why there's an issue of stepping aside from your leadership positions.
'And a number of our leaders have done so. And sometimes they would have been wrongly accused, but they would have stepped aside. And sometimes they lose leadership positions,' he said.
The provincial co-convener, Panyaza Lesufi, had previously promised to clamp down on corruption and laziness in the party.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gauteng MEC calls on municipal workers to fight corruption and improve service delivery
Gauteng MEC calls on municipal workers to fight corruption and improve service delivery

IOL News

time3 minutes ago

  • IOL News

Gauteng MEC calls on municipal workers to fight corruption and improve service delivery

Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has urged civil servants belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) to help defend the gains of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Media Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, has urged civil servants belonging to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) to help defend the gains of the National Democratic Revolution (NDR). He said the NDR was gained through hard work between the ANC and its alliance partners, which was won under difficult circumstances to bring an end to apartheid over three decades ago. She also urged workers to remain firm against corruption and maladministration, which has rocked most of the country's municipalities in recent times. Just this week, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke highlighted this alarming reality of irregular expenditure within the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), which revealed that the municipality was leading the nation in this regard, with contracts exceeding R1 billion awarded to contractors with connections to officials. Nkomo-Ralehoko was speaking during her address to the Gauteng delegates who will be electing new leaders to represent the union in the province. The congress, which kicked off on Wednesday and wraps up on Friday under the theme: 'Towards 40 years of defending and advancing the interests of municipal workers' at the Birchwood Hotel, will announce its new provincial structures amid a series of challenges facing revenue collection and maladministration. "Our enemy is not the workers but corruption and maladministration, theft, and unethical leadership. We are not going to function as the government if you are not assisting us. That is the personal responsibility we must take so that we can deliver services to our people. The collapse of service delivery in municipalities must be a thing of the past, comrades," she stated. On the issues, municipal workers have with the City of Joburg Mayor, Dada Morero, Nkomo-Ralehoko, promised to help mediate some of the challenges between the two parties. The issues stem from SAMWU having accused Morero of protecting corruption-accused Helen Botes, the acting chief operating officer of the city, who served as the CEO of Johannesburg Property Company for over 15 years and was not charged for any of the allegations lodged against her. "I am going to meet Dada Morero and try to initiate a meeting between us and him. It can't be that the ANC doesn't intervene in Johannesburg. It used to be the same in Ekurhuleni, and we addressed the issues there, and we will do the same here," she said. As workers who remain at the interface and forefront of service delivery in communities, cities, and local government level, the MEC urged municipal workers to continue to be the pillars of society. "You, as municipal workers, are at the forefront of service delivery. You are the pillars that have kept the fires burning during apartheid. The same unity and commitment you have shown during that time should continue even today. We cannot then have members who do not understand the alliance and the relationship between the ANC and Cosatu," she added. [email protected]

Sekhukhune community demands action on TUT campus project amid escalating tensions
Sekhukhune community demands action on TUT campus project amid escalating tensions

IOL News

time3 hours ago

  • IOL News

Sekhukhune community demands action on TUT campus project amid escalating tensions

Bapedi Nation Prime Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi says negotiations are ongoing. Image: Phill Magakoe / Archive The controversy surrounding the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Sekhukhune campus has reached a boiling point, with the ANC in Sekhukhune threatening to take to the streets if the promised university campus is not built soon. The dispute centers around allegations that TUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Tinyiko Maluleke diverted the project from Sekhukhune to Giyani, sparking outrage among the local community. In 2021, TUT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Sekhukhune Royal Kingdom to establish a campus in the area, focusing on mining and agriculture. However, nearly five years later, the project remains stalled, with the community accusing Maluleke of hijacking the initiative and redirecting it to Giyani, allegedly his hometown. This alleged sabotage has led to widespread frustration and feelings of betrayal among the Bapedi nation of Sekhukhune in Limpopo. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading ANC Sekhukhune Regional Secretary Tala Mathope warned that if the university campus is not built soon, the community will take to the streets in protest if their demands are not met. "Build us the university campus that was promised or we will take to the streets," Mathope demanded. He emphasised that the community believes the project has been hijacked and that someone somewhere has misdirected it to Giyani. "We are not saying the Giyani university project should stop... We are saying that somebody, somewhere has misdirected the project that was supposed to come to Sekhukhune to Giyani. It was hijacked. This is an emotional issue," Mathope said. He appealed to the university, Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba, and the Ministry of Higher Education under the newly appointed minister Buti Manamela to act appropriately, or face street protests. New TUT vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Tinyiko Maluleke is being taken to court over TUT Sekhukhune campus delays. Image: Supplied 'We have taken offense that five years later there has still not been any project was at an advanced stage and it suddenly stopped and the Giyani one started…We also want to know who is frustrating us," Mathope asked. 'Build us the university campus that was promised,' Mathope said. Newly-appointed Bapedi Nation Prime Minister Ngoako Ramathlodi weighed in with a more cautious approach to the matter saying the kingdom has been in talks with the university. 'We are aware that TUT commissioned a study to create a technical university given the minerals study was concluded and an MOU is to be implemented. 'This happened during the late King Thulare's funeral [where] even the president (Cyril Ramaphosa) announced that there would be a university in Sekhukhune. 'We have been in talks with the university…Protocols should be followed properly. We are engaging the university, then the education sector and maybe the president as a last resort. We have already raised the issue with the premier,' the former Limpopo premier said. Bapedi Kingdom head of education, William Maphutha, has taken legal action against TUT, claiming that the university project was stolen by a sophisticated syndicate led by Maluleke. Maphutha confirmed that the community is mobilising to march to the Ministry of Higher Education in protest. "The legal process has started, our lawyers are busy finalizing documents. We have a strong, watertight case and proof that the Sekhukhune TUT University project was stolen," Maphutha said. When the department was contacted they redirected inquiries to TUT, the institution's spokesperson, Phaphama Tshisikhawe, who did not respond to the questions she received.

Parliament forms Ad Hoc Committee to investigate serious allegations by KZN police commissioner
Parliament forms Ad Hoc Committee to investigate serious allegations by KZN police commissioner

IOL News

time5 hours ago

  • IOL News

Parliament forms Ad Hoc Committee to investigate serious allegations by KZN police commissioner

The 11-member Ad Hoc Committee mandated to investigate the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has three months to conduct its work and report to the National Assembly by not later than October 31. Image: Thobile Mathonsi / Independent Newspapers The National Assembly on Wednesday night unanimously agreed to form an Ad Hoc Committee tasked with investigating the serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. This decision comes after the adoption of a report from the portfolio committees on Police and Justice and Constitutional Development, which were requested to consider the appropriate approach to deal with the allegations. ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli announced that the 11-member committee will consist of four members from the ANC, two each from the DA and the MK Party, one member from the EFF, and two representatives to be recommended by other parties. Ntuli said the committee will report to the National Assembly by not later than October 31. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading He said the committee's terms of reference included the alleged unlawful decision by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the Political Killings Task Team, the alleged unlawful removal of 121 case dockets from the Political Killings Task Team on the direction of Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, and the alleged moratorium by Mchunu on filling vacancies within the SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit. Others are the nature and implications of the relationship between SAPS senior leadership and certain members of the public, whether the award of the R360 million contract to Vusumuzi Matlala's company for the provision of healthcare services to SAPS was irregular. The committee will also look into the alleged interference by the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption in police matters, including judicial issues, and also consider the need for legislative policy and institutional reform to restore public confidence in the criminal justice system. Parties have thrown their weight behind the Ad Hoc Committee. ANC MP Samuel Moela said the allegations made by Mkhwanazi cannot be left unexamined. 'General Mkhwanazi's assertion, if accurate, paints a disturbing picture of how certain elements might be undermining the integrity of law enforcement institutions for political or personal gain. 'Parliament has both the responsibility and the authority to get to the bottom of these claims, not for political point scoring, but to protect the democratic institutions so many South Africans fought to build,' Moela said. DA deputy spokesperson on police, Lisa Schickerling, said the evidence Mkhwanazi presented raised the greatest questions about the conduct of Mchunu, Sibiya, senior police officers, and even members of the judiciary. 'The National Assembly must hold the executive to account, even in the face of parallel investigations. We welcome the urgency with which this House has resolved to independently oversee the political and institutional dimensions of this crisis,' said Schickerling. MK Party's Sibonelo Nomvalo saluted Mkhwanazi for taking on the perceived untouchables by exposing criminal syndicates within the criminal justice system. 'Our clarion call is that Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi must appear before the Ad Hoc Committee in Parliament and expose all the police officers, prosecutors, judges, Members of Parliament, and all officials in the Department of Police who are in cahoots with criminals," he said. 'An allegation by Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi against judges justifies our valid call for a lifestyle audit against judges. It is our firm belief that judges are human beings. They are not a paragon of morality, and therefore are corruptible honourable members,' Nomvalo said. EFF MP Rebecca Mohlala said the SAPS was a seriously compromised service, and its top brass enabled the capture of the institution for nefarious reasons. Mohlala said Parliament should get to the bottom of the allegations and reassert its role in providing oversight to the executive. 'We support the recommendation of the report for the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to conduct an inquiry to get to the bottom of corruption,' she said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store