North West businessman Brown Mogotsi has dismissed claims by African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula that he is not a member of the ruling party.
Mogotsi said Mbalula had no authority to determine the validity of his membership.
“I have seen what he has been saying about me, but it is not up to Mbalula to confirm my membership — it’s my branch’s responsibility. This is not Mbalula National Congress, but the African National Congress,” Mogotsi asserted.
“The leaders of this organisation are produced by the ANC not vice versa…whether chief [Albert] Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, including Fikile Mbalula himself, they are the products of this organisation,” said Mogotsi.
He said this in an interview with the SABC News, insisting that he remains a member of the ANC in good standing, with his membership only set to expire at the end of October.
“The ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula’s utterances that my ANC membership has expired were unwarranted and simply overreach,” said Mogotsi on Monday.
Mbalula was accompanied by convicted criminal
He further accused Mbalula of travelling with convicted criminal Vusi Khekhe abroad. “Vusi Khekhe is being convicted and sentenced for the killing of [North West businessman] Wandile Bozwana. It was also shown that he [Mbalula] was with Vusi Khekhe two or three days before when Wandile Bozwana was murdered.
Mogotsi further alleged that Bozwana gave Mbalula R1-million, and he never paid it.
“I’m saying, inasmuch as he was with Vusi Khekhe, currently Vusi Khekhe has been sentenced, do we have to tell him that you can’t be the member of the ANC, you were travelling with someone who has been convicted and sentenced?” asked Mogotsi.
He accused Mbalula of using the name “Brown Mogotsi to attack… Senzo Mchunu. This whole thing that led to the Madlanga commission, the target is Senzo Mchunu”.
Cat didn’t disclose being a thief
Mogotsi defended knowing controversial businesman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. “Meeting with Cat Matlala, if ever he has done something wrong elsewhere, he didn’t tell me. Every businessman will never tell you that I am thief or whatever.”
He added that he is ready to appear before both the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee if summoned.
Over the weekend, Mbalula told reporters that he would not respond to Mogotsi, who has been alleged to be an associate of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Mbalula was addressing the media at the Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni, following the ANC’s special National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
The Madlanga Commission has reportedly heard allegations that Mogotsi used his ties to the ANC to solicit money from individuals linked to a criminal cartel.
During his address, Mbalula reiterated his stance, saying:“He even sent me a message here. I don’t know where he got my number — I don’t care. I won’t respond to him. He’s not a member of the ANC. He’s not. To answer your question, Brown Mogotsi is not a member of the ANC. It took me time to go to the records.”
