/ 1 February 2018

EFF lays corruption charges against Zweli Mkhize for corruption at Prasa

The EFF’s secretary general Godrich Gardee said the party was opening the case against Mkhize for corruption and soliciting a bribe.
The EFF’s secretary general Godrich Gardee said the party was opening the case against Mkhize for corruption and soliciting a bribe.

The EFF opened a criminal case against former ANC treasurer general Zweli Mkhize at the Hillbrow police station on Wednesday.

This follows damning revelations by former Prasa CEO Lucky Montana, who on Tuesday told an Eskom inquiry looking into allegations of state capture, that the ANC had received money from companies doing business with the railway agency.

He claimed to have met with the former treasurer general at Angolan businesswoman Maria Gomez’s home where he and Mkhize apparently discussed ANC finances.

In late 2015, the Prasa board approached the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to review and set aside a contract with Swifambo Rail Leasing, following a series of exposés by Rapport newspaper detailing the unsuitability of the Spanish-built Afro 4000 locomotives.

In 2016, the railway agency’s chairperson Popo Molefe claimed in court papers that the political party benefited from a locomotive deal it had with Swifambo.

Montana, speaking on the same issue on Tuesday, said Mkhize had initially asked for 10% of the R465m that was due to that company, a request which he said he later turned down.

The EFF’s secretary general Godrich Gardee said the party was opening the case against Mkhize for corruption and soliciting a bribe.

“We hope the police would be allowed to do their jobs, investigate independently without any undue influence, predictably from Mr Zuma who is still in office,” Gardee told the media.

Gardee said they believed they had enough information to secure a conviction in a court of law.

“At least, for now, we have something tangible under oath. [The] former CEO presents evidence to Parliament that a bribe was solicited from him in favour of the ANC in the person that is Zweli Mkhize,” he said.

He added that this should serve as a warning to other political parties when it comes to how they secure funding in order to stay afloat.

Gardee also said they had always warned the ANC on the issue of bribes and kickbacks when dealing with state-owned entities and service providers to the state.

Attempts throughout the day to reach Mkhize regarding Montana’s allegations and criminal charges were unsuccessful.—News24