FRIDAY 5.45PM:
THE African National Congress in Gauteng has denied covering up evidence of financial impropriety by provincial Premier-elect Mathole Motshekga.
In a statement on Friday, the party said: “Last October Comrade Tokyo Sexwale informed Comrade Motshekga in writing about the existence of certain documents alleging impropriety on his [Motshekga’s] part. The documents were made available to Comrade Motshekga and he was advised to clarify the matter so as to clear his good name. Information available to the ANC from Comrade Motshekga indicated that these allegations were unsubstantiated, vague and false and do not warrant further investigation.”
FRIDAY 1.45PM:
THE Mail & Guardian revealed on Friday that Mathole Motshekga, the man who will be sworn in as Gauteng premier on Monday, was accused by Constitutional Court deputy president Judge Pius Langa of fraudulently administering international donor funds.
And it would appear that the African National Congress was aware of these and similar accusations against Motshekga since well before his election to the provincial ANC leadership last Nopvember, but faiuled to act decisively. Instead, the party was accused of trying to manipulate the leadership contest to block Motshekga, which backfired when provincial party branches voted him provincial chair.
Documents in the possession of the M&G, dating back to the late 1980s, record a stinging attack on Motshekga by Langa, who was then chairman of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers. At that time a Catholic funding agency, Trocaire, which had channelled nearly R1-million in European Union aid into a legal clinics project directed by Motshekga, had become increasingly alarmed at his handling of the operation.
Trocaire pulled out of the project, and Nadel instituted an informal investigation that sent ripples through the anti-apartheid movement. The Nadel investigation showed Motshekga fraudulently recorded non-existent activities of the National Institute for Public Interest Law and Research, which were paid for with aid grants.
President Nelson Mandela’s office this week refused to comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, it is believed Motshekga has been rallying former colleagues to back his version of events after being asked for an explanation by Mandela.
In his most recent public statement this week, Motshekga said he will use his premiership to root out corruption and mismanagement in the provincial government.