ANC Limpopo VBS-linked officials must wait for return to office – Mantashe

Two Limpopo ANC bigwigs, reinstated to their positions by the ANC national executive committee (NEC) after nearly two years of suspension for allegedly having had a hand in the looting of VBS Mutual Bank, will have to wait for a while before they reoccupy their offices.

This revelation was made by ANC national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe during an SABC interview on Thursday.

Mantashe said deputy provincial chairperson Florence Radzilani and treasurer Danny Msiza would have to wait until the completion of consultations with relevant structures before they could officially be allowed to go back to their offices at the ANC provincial headquarters in Polokwane.

Mantashe’s statements comes a day after secretary-general Ace Magashule said the ANC NEC believed it was only fair to reinstate the two after two years of failing to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that they were involved in the collapse of the bank.

This was further affirmed by Limpopo ANC secretary Soviet Lekganyane, who said the province accepted the ruling by the national leadership.

“It is always the norm in the ANC that a lower structure always abides by the decisions of the upper structure. But if you understand the statement by the national leadership with precision and distinction, you will understand that the two, Radzilani and Msiza will not immediately report for duty,” he said.

“They still have to wait for the completion of engagements and consultations with the relevant structures before the next move.”

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But Radzilani’s and Msiza’s known die-hard supporter, ANC Peter Mokaba regional chairperson, John Mpe, said the consultations were just formalities.

“I am on cloud nine that our two leaders are back in office. I believe and hope that the ANC in Limpopo will be united again and increase its membership to occupy spot number one nationwide,” he said.

“You cannot continue to put democratically elected leaders of Africa’s oldest movement out in the cold just because you have a political vendetta against them. If we say they are criminals, maybe we must start pointing out how much they stole. If we fail, then it means we do not understand the notion of one is innocent until proven guilty by the court of law.”

But other leaders had a different take.

Masilo Maloko – popularly known in political circles as “King Solomon” – said the reinstatement of the two was an insult, not only to the victims of VBS but to the general public.

Maloko, of the ANC Phisela branch in Tzaneen, said the move had the potential to cost the ANC votes in the coming elections.

SACP provincial spokesperson Machike Thobejane said this was the biggest blunder the ANC had yet made.

Jacques Smalle of the DA said the move did not baffle them as “it was normal for the ANC to protect and reward criminals”.

EFF provincial leader Jossey Buthane said it would be a shame for the people of Limpopo to continue voting for the ANC.

– news@ citizen.co.za

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