Johannesburg- The Eastern Cape Public Works and Infrastructure MEC Babalo Madikizela says he takes exception to allegations that he stole from the state funds that were in support of his family, the Winnie Madikizela-Mandela family in Mbizana.
This follows the findings of the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on the investigation of R1.1-Million amount of money that was paid by the Mbizana Local Municipality [Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Municipality] to the business account of Lonwabo Bam.
Mkhwebane ruled that the funds were misappropriated from the money meant for the memorial service of Ms Winnie Madikizela-Mandela who is a relative of Babalo Madikizela.
Bam later reported this matter to the Hawks and said about R450 000 of the money was used to pay for the wall of the house belonging to Oscar Mabuyane, the Eastern Cape Premier while R350 000 went to the business account of Babalo Madikizela, the provincial MEC for Public Works and Infrastructure.
The two denied any allegations of wrongdoings and are both saying they’ll be taking the report to Judicial review.
In a statement issued by the office of the Premier yesterday, Mabuyane maintains his public statement issued on the matter in 2019, where he claimed that the money that was deposited into the account of a contractor who was working on the wall for his house, was a personal loan from Madikizela.
“He has instructed his legal representatives to take the report on judicial review because it ignored substantial information that sought to respond to the allegations levelled against him,” the statement reads.
Madikizela is also rejecting the report as he argues that Mkhwebane did not take into consideration all the information presented to her.
“I take exception that I was involved in defrauding the state money that was meant to assist us as the family. I will present to the court the same evidence I presented before the Public Protector to clear my name,” said Madikizela.
He also said he was not the MEC when the disputed transaction took place and therefore the Public Protector report which instructs the Speaker of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature is incorrect.
Professor Mcebisi Ndletyana said the findings of the Public Protector may not have an impact on the outcome of the ANC Eastern Cape leadership because the report implicates two candidates that were likely to contest each other.
“It’s unfortunate that the Eastern Cape seems to suffer from the depth of leadership, that both individuals who were likely to contest are implicated in this impropriety.
It’s also an indictment on its own that you’d have someone who is the treasurer of the ANC famous for owning expensive cars when he has no record of being a successful businessman but accumulated all these assets when he entered politics. It’s like choosing the worst among them,” said Ndletyana.
He said it’s unlikely that the court would have pronounced the status of the report by the time the ANC provincial leadership conference comes.
Ndletyana said the Integrity Commission of the ANC should step in and make a ruling on whether Mabuyane and Madikizela are eligible to contest for the party provincial leadership.
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