Justin Arenstein
Mpumalanga’s new African National Congress chairperson Fish Mahlalela is not scared of confrontation.
The former Umkhonto weSizwe tactician has repeatedly risked his political career and cushy government salary to bump heads with far more powerful leaders on matters of principle.
His fearless stance against corruption and a matching obsession with “due process” have cost him his job in Mpumalanga twice, and earned him a reputation as an uncompromising, vat alles street-fighter.
Insiders say his tactical training in Ethiopia, Russia and Angola has helped him rebound from the public humiliation of being fired by both former Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa and current incumbent Ndaweni Mahlangu.
Building on a distinguished MK record, Mahlalela first made his mark in provincial politics when he was recalled from Parliament in Cape Town in mid-1998 and appointed provincial chief whip to help weed out corruption within Mpumalanga’s legislature.
He immediately and single-handedly tackled deputy speaker Cynthia Maropeng for divisive factionalism and is credited with collecting the key evidence that saw her arrested and jailed on R1,1-million fraud charges.
The victory won him a seat on Mpumalanga’s executive council, or Cabinet, but also brought him into direct conflict with the charismatic Phosa.
Mahlalela first incurred Phosa’s wrath by challenging his handling of corruption within the Mpumalanga Parks Board in December 1998 and by refusing to purge its board of directors.
Mahlalela insisted publicly that any purge, even of directors implicated in the contentious Dolphin Deal and subsequent promissory note scandals, would backfire on the government by providing grounds for unfair dismissal.
Phosa rejected the argument and accused Mahlalela of defiance, sacking him in a terse one-line letter. He also immediately fired ANC Youth League leader James Nkambule from the Mpumalanga Parks Board for suspected corruption. Nkambule never forgave Phosa, authoring a series of ANC “intelligence” reports against him.
Phosa was forced to reappoint Mahlalela one month later after the ANC’s powerful provincial executive committee rapped him on the knuckles for “impulsive use of power”.
Mahlalela, who was effectively neutralised by being appointed sport MEC without a budget or staff, wisely kept a low profile during the subsequent bitter faction fighting that cost Phosa his premiership in June 1999.
He testified against Phosa during an ANC national executive committee investigation, but survived the resulting purges and emerged as Mpumalanga’s new local government MEC under Mahlangu.
The honeymoon didn’t last long, however, with Mahlangu questioning Mahlalela’s continued relationship with Nkambule. Mahlalela responded by spearheading a new corruption probe against key Mahlangu supporters in the Lowveld District Council and its fellow Highveld District Council.
Using initial presidential support for the probes into tender irregularities, Mahlalela dramatically broadened the scope of his investigations to include senior leaders within Mahlangu’s own ANC “top five” politburo.
When Mahlalela failed to win provincial support for the probes, he turned to the Scorpions and scheduled a meeting with Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ncugka. Mahlangu summonsed Mahlalela to his office just hours before the meeting and axed him “in the public interest”, while simultaneously firing Nkambule. Mahlangu has repeatedly refused to give a reason for the sackings.
Mahlalela went quietly, using his legislature backbench to build a solid grassroots support base, both in his home Nkomazi region and Mahlangu’s own stronghold in KwaNdebele.
The results were overwhelming. Mahlangu, who still boasts President Thabo Mbeki’s blessing, secured only 98 votes, while Mahlalela swept to victory with 261 votes. Mahlangu’s defeat was so absolute that he did not even win a seat on the ANC’s provincial executive committee and has had to be appointed as a special ex-officio member without voting rights. Mahlalela this week pledged a civil relationship with Mahlangu, however, and attempted to downplay the earlier animosity between the two.
Mpumalanga’s five other MECs who failed to be re-elected to the committee will also be awarded non-voting ex-officio seats on the body to ensure that government and party policies are synchronised.
The disenfranchised MECs include vocal Mahlangu supporters, led by MEC for Health Sibongile Manana, MEC for Public Works Steve Mabona, MEC for Economic Affairs Jacob Mabena, MEC for Education Craig Padayachee and the new MEC for Housing, Simon Gininda. African Eye News Service