/ 8 November 2011

Don’t link scandals to Manguang, says ANC

Don't Link Scandals To Manguang

Linking sex scandals to the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung next year is not appropriate, party spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said on Tuesday.

He was reacting to reported allegations made by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula that state security agencies were being used to spy on ANC leaders.

“The ANC is not aware of the allegations and he [Mbalula] has not addressed the issue with us. He is a former deputy police minister he knows what he must do,” said Mthembu.

The New Age newspaper reported that the woman, who Mbalula admits he had sex with, was paid R150000 to “rubbish his name” by operatives meddling in ANC squabbles in the run-up to the ANC elective conference.

Mbalula, a former ANC Youth League president, was reportedly the league’s first choice to replace current ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe at the conference.

The youth league was also said to be backing Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe to succeed President Jacob Zuma.

‘Polluted’
Mbalula told the New Age that the atmosphere in the ANC was “polluted”.

“State institutions must not be used to fight political wars. It must stop now,” he was quoted as saying.

Earlier, the State Security Agency (SSA) said it was unaware of the claim that Mbalula’s short extramarital affair was actually a politically motivated trap set by them.

“We are not aware of the claims being made and we urge people who have legitimate complaints to approach the office of the inspector general of intelligence and lay a formal complaint,” SSA spokesperson Brian Dube said in a statement.

The SSA said it was worried by the tendency of politicians to make “broad and unsubstantiated claims” that reflected negatively on the integrity of the agency.

“The minister of state security is on record appealing to politicians to stop politicising the work of the agency,” said Dube.

According to reports, Mbalula acknowledged that he was largely responsible for the scandal.

“I need to relook at my ways,” he said.

In an interview published in City Press on Sunday, Joyce Molamu said she met Mbalula at a party and they had a “two-night stand”.

She fell pregnant and they discussed money for her to have an abortion.

She eventually wanted R40000 to cover her expenses while she took a few months off to heal. — Sapa