JUSTIN ARENSTEIN, Nelspruit | Tuesday 10.00pm.
DISCREDITED Mpumalanga legislature member David Mkhwanazi threatened to sue the provincial leadership of the African National Congress on Tuesday for implicating him in corruption and suspending him from the party.
The former environmental affairs MEC said on Tuesday that he had been publicly defamed by a number of the party’s most senior provincial leaders when they suspended him and linked him to an estimated R20-million irregular expenditure.
Mkhwanazi and provincial finance MEC Jacques Modipane were suspended from the ANC last week following mounting concerns about their role in the issue of six illegal promissory notes worth R1,3-billion by the Mpumalanga Parks Board.
Premier Mathews Phosa and other ANC leaders also said the party was concerned about possible conflicts of interest and unethical business dealings by both leaders following revelations that they briefly entered a secret helicopter partnership with suspended MPB chief, Alan Gray, in 1996.
Mkhwanazi was, in addition, accused of personally violating Provincial Service Commission regulations by irregularly appointing over 300 staff and was slated for allegedly by-passing the provincial tender board via a controversial facilitation process.
Both politicians were suspended from all government duties and have been told to prepare for a disciplinary hearing next week.
“These offenses allegedly occurred while I was environmental affairs MEC. But I was never the department’s accounting officer and cannot be held responsible for irregular expenses such as using state funds to buy items such as lighters, clothes or groceries,” said Mkhwanazi.
Mpumalanga premier Matthews Phosa has announced a full commission on inquiry into corruption in the province.