The ANC Youth League in Mpumalanga has demanded a complete ban on politicians and government employees having interests in entities that do business with the state, saying the practice is fuelling political infighting that has led to the violent deaths of officials and politicians in the province.
Since the beginning of 2008 four ANC-linked politicians and government officials have been murdered in Mpumalanga and a further four have died in allegedly suspicious circumstances.
ANCYL provincial secretary Isaac Mahlangu said this week that the ANC should review legislation that allows politicians and state employees to have business interests while in government employ, provided that they declare them.
“The issue of tenders and business interests of government officials needs to be re-looked at, as it is creating unnecessary fights between comrades,” Mahlangu said. “Already we’ve had too many assassinations, including the recent killings of two senior civil servants in the province. The reasons behind the killings are nothing else but tenders.
“Unless something is done about the involvement of politicians in business, we will continue to Âexperience the killings of Âcomrades in the province.”
Mahlangu said the ANCYL would raise the business interests of government officials and politicians at the ANC’s provincial and national general councils later this year.
Meanwhile, South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) provincial secretary Raymond Makamo, said to be close to Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza, this week publicly accused ANC national treasurer Mathews Phosa of funding and fuelling service delivery protests in Mpumalanga.
Mabuza’s supporters believe Phosa is orchestrating a campaign to topple the premier.
Phosa reacted by instituting a R1-million lawsuit against the Sanco leader.
ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu dismissed Makamo’s claims, saying that they — “are without any basis and in our view are meant to tarnish the good name and image of our treasurer general”.
The ANC has appointed a task team, comprising Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Deputy Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, to address the service delivery protests in the province.