ANC accused of paying lip service on ‘taxpayer’s budget’

Congress of the People (Cope) has called on the ANC to stop the “blatant abuse of power,” and challenge corruption head-on.

The decision for those facing charges in court to step aside is nothing but a smokescreen to milk taxpayers further, party spokesperson Dennis Bloem told The Citizen.

The party including their members of parliament cannot abuse taxpayer money, by sitting at home while still enjoying the privileges of their positions, he said.

Calling for fierce action against implicated officials, Bloem mentioned MP Bongani Bongo alongside Zandile Gumede, who were currently facing allegations and have apparently stepped aside.

Following an ANC NEC (National Executive Committee) briefing where President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed that a solid line would be drawn, a measure to cut off the rotten apples, Bongo, a former state security minister, accused of attempting to disrupt testimony at the commission of inquiry into state capture in 2017, has taken leave.

The controversial MP, who was also parliament’s home affairs chairperson, is understood to have taken a leave of absence, leaving committee with questions regarding his sudden no-show.

The suspicion around his leave comes immediately after the ANC NEC reported that there were those who willingly stepped aside to allow court processes to take precedence.

Bloem calls on the ANC to not pretend to fight corruption by committing other acts of corruption, by disrespecting the country’s laws on the taxpayer’s budget.

Both the DA and IFP have raised concerns at reports that former eThekwini mayor Gumede, now member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, would step aside but now would continue drawing a salary.

Gumede is facing fraud and corruption charges emanating from an eThekwini municipality’s multimillion-rand waste tender. While she and co-accused were granted R50,000 bail, both parties indicated that the party was nonchalant around taxpayer’s money.

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