The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on Thursday accused KwaZulu-Natal health department spokesperson Leon Mbangwa of having a fraud conviction and being a deported Zimbabwean citizen.
”The IFP has been shocked to discover that Leon Mbangwa … is a previously convicted and deported Zimbabwean citizen with an allegedly forged South African identity,” said Les Govender, the party’s health representative in the provincial parliament, in a statement.
”The IFP is also aware that in 2003 Mbangwa was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three years in prison. He served only six months and thereafter was removed to the Lindela Repatriation Centre from where he was deported back to Zimbabwe.”
Govender said although Mbangwa’s identity book showed he was born in South Africa, ”he was in fact born in Zimbabwe”.
Mbangwa said the allegations were ”untrue”.
He confirmed he was born in Zimbabwe, but had South African parents.
”It’s totally untrue. I have a problem with my citizenship and the Home Affairs Department is sorting it out.
”I was in exile … I don’t know where the IFP is getting that information. This has nothing to do with me being an illegal immigrant. It’s just not true,” said Mbangwa.
The matter regarding the identity document had been to court and home affairs was presently correcting the problem, he said.
Asked whether he had served time in prison, Mbangwa said: ”Yes, I was arrested and sent to prison, but I was never sent to Lindela.”
He would not comment further.
Mbangwa said the IFP’s statement was a ”political ploy” to discredit African National Congress members before the 2009 general election.
”I am politically affiliated to the ANC and they are using this to target me. My personality is being attacked.”
The IFP, meanwhile, said it had called on the province’s health minister, Peggy Nkonyeni, to explain how a person with ”such dubious credentials” was appointed to a position of responsibility in government. — Sapa