/ 13 August 2008

ANC suspends six staff members

Six managers in the parliamentary office of the ANC have been suspended over allegations that they misappropriated money and created fictitious posts.

Six managers in the parliamentary office of the ANC have been suspended over allegations that they misappropriated money and created fictitious posts, the Mail & Guardian has learned.

ANC caucus spokesperson Khotso Khumalo confirmed the move, saying the party had evidence that the six were implicated in schemes to defraud the party.

”We aren’t going to try and cover this up,” he told the M&G. Khumalo explained that it appeared money had been filched in several ways, including the creation of at least one ”ghost internship” designed to conceal the theft in the party’s accounts.

A parliamentary staffer who was present said the six were escorted off the premises last week Tuesday evening after being ordered to vacate their posts immediately.

Last week also saw controversy in the ANC offices over whether party support staff should attend a demonstration outside the Cape High Court to back party president Jacob Zuma as he attempted to get corruption charges against him thrown out by the Pietermaritzburg High Court. ”They were ordered to go, but quite a few of them said it isn’t part of their work to protest for Zuma,” one insider told the M&G