African National Congress secretary general Gwede Mantashe has written a document warning that the ruling party is too soft on corruption, the Sunday Independent reported.
The newspaper said Mantashe cautioned that dismissing allegations against ANC cadres was proving damaging to the party’s image.
“The many high-profile cases and allegations against our comrades are not helpful. We can be dismissive of them but the damage on the ANC image is huge,” it quoted him as saying.
Mantashe reportedly made the comment in a nine-page report drafted for the ANC’s lekgotla [meeting], which concludes on Sunday.
“One issue that constantly cropped up in the elections research, even among our staunchest supporters, is that the ANC is soft on corruption and looks after their own,” Mantashe was quoted as saying.
“This requires a system for processing such allegations that will send a message of an ANC that is intolerant of corruption.”
Zuma to act?
The warning comes as President Jacob Zuma faces pressure to act against Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and police National Commissioner Bheki Cele.
Madonsela’s latest report found that a lease agreement between the Department of Public Works and property vendor Roux Shabangu — for a headquarters building for the provincial South African Police Service in Durban — was invalid.
In her previous report, released in February, she made similar findings about another police lease in Pretoria, also between public works and Shabangu.
Zuma has delayed acting on the Pretoria report, sending Justice Minister Jeff Radebe to negotiate for action to be taken only after the release of the latest report.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions and opposition parties have said Cele and the minister must resign. – Sapa and Staff reporter