Ruling party’s integrity committee doesn’t exist – analyst

The ANC’s decision to keep members implicated in corruption charges shows the party’s integrity committee is nonexistent, according to a political expert.

Independent political analyst Goodenough Mashego said the committee was a facade the ANC formed to create an impression they were interacting with members implicated in corruption.

ALSO READ: Graft allegations: Mbalula defends candidate list

“I now don’t think that committee actually exists because existence means you must have some powers and there must be a thing that you are able to recommend and can be implemented.

“I think when there was so much complaining about the ANC doing nothing in dealing with its own people, they decided to set up something called the integrity committee so the public should believe there are internal mechanisms,” said Mashego.

“So, the ANC said, we are self-correcting in order for the public to believe there is a self-correction mechanism in place, called this integrity committee.”

‘Each candidate attended to’

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula recently revealed that from the 20 people who appeared in the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture report, only six appeared on the 2024 candidate list, and each had been attended to.

This despite the Zondo commission report flagging almost 100 ANC members and leaders.

It is understood ANC NEC (national executive committee) member and former finance minister Malusi Gigaba and Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo did not appear before the integrity committee and had not been cleared at this point.

Mbalula said Gigaba and Mahlobo, who appeared on the list despite accusations against them, were allowed to stand as ANC candidates pending the outcome of their disciplinary committee.

He said there were no adverse findings on them because they did not appear before the integrity committee.

“So, they must account to the disciplinary committee. They are on the list as their cases have not been confirmed by the NEC and the NEC is due to process a host of cases which comes from the integrity commission that affect individuals,” said Mashego.

The Citizen reached out to Gigaba and he refused to comment.

ALSO READ: WATCH: IEC tracks ‘revolting’ candidates leak to staff work station, takes ‘corrective action’

Mashego said it was obvious that even people like Gigaba and Mahlobo knew the integrity commission did not exist, hence they did not feel duty-bound to appear before it.

“You cannot appear before something that doesn’t exist,” he said.

Zondo’s report recommended Gigaba be investigated for corruption in relation to cash payments allegedly received during visits to the Gupta family in Saxonwold in the period 2010-2018. Mahlobo, who was the state security minister at the time, was accused of receiving R21 million allegedly set to bribe judges. He denied the allegations.

Additional reporting by Thando Nondywana.