Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha.
The Bolsheviks Party of South Africa is accusing Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha of rewarding his VBS Mutual Bank-tainted comrades with jobs as MECs in an endeavour to solidify his bid to win the ANC’s top job at the December elective conference.
Mathabatha is going for the position of ANC national chair. He will go head to head with current chair Gwede Mantashe and Deputy Minister of Finance David Masondo for the position.
Masondo is from the Vhembe region. Mathabatha, who reshuffled his Cabinet last week, has appointed two provincial executive committee members, current ANC provincial treasurer Nakedi Sibanda-Kekana and deputy chair Florence Radzilani, to his Cabinet.
This has caused ructions between the governing party and the opposition.
Democratic Alliance caucus whip in the Limpopo Legislature Katlego Phala said: “We are seriously concerned about the appointment of Radzilani and Sibanda-Kekana.
They were former mayors at the Vhembe and Lepelle Nkumpi local municipalities. They were both accused of being involved in the VBS investment scandal and were fired after the release of the Great Bank Heist report.
“This latest reshuffle is not in the best interests of a province in real distress, but rather it’s for Mathabatha and his faction to gird up for the upcoming ANC national conference.”
Mathabatha is also accused of using the reshuffle to garner more nominations in branch general meetings.
But according to Masondo’s chief lobbyist Gaddafi Chauke from Vhembe, the deputy minister has already received nominations from more than 40 branches, posing a serious threat to Mathabatha’s bid.
Limpopo has five regions and 10 MECs. “Out of the 10, Mathabatha has appointed four MECs from the Vhembe region.
Those from Vhembe are Radzilani, social development MEC Nandi Ndalane, education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya and health MEC Phophi Ramathuba,” said general secretary of the Bolsheviks Party Seun Mogotji yesterday.
Mogotji accused Mathabatha of putting his political interests ahead of the people of Limpopo. “Firstly, these people are accused of irregularly investing millions of rands belonging to the poor of this country.
“Secondly, Mathabatha claimed on public platforms and during his state of the province address that he hated corruption.
“Thirdly, he said those with blood on their hands will not have a leg to stand on in his administration.
“Why now use the back door to reward those that you fired?” Responding to the allegations, ANC provincial secretary Reuben Madadzhe said the party had systems, such as the step-aside rule, which would have been applied if there was any corruption.
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