Incoming ANC Eastern Cape premier dismisses fraud allegations

Following a recent Mail & Guardian article in which incoming ANC Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane is alleged to have received undue benefits, Mabuyane found himself having to use social media to respond to the allegations levelled against him.

According to the article, the claims provide insight into the political machinations of a province where Cyril Ramaphosa drew crucial support ahead of the 2017 national elective conference at Nasrec.

Described as “allies of Ramaphosa” by the publication, ANC Eastern Cape treasurer Babalo Madikizela and Mabuyane have been accused of benefiting from payments made to businessman Lonwabo Bam by the Mbizana local municipality for work that Bam’s plant hire company had not done.

Madikizela reportedly received a Bentley Bentayga which retails for about R4 million, while an East London draftsman named Allan Morran who revamped Mabuyane’s house was paid from the same account.

In 2017, Mabuyane was elected new Eastern Cape chair following a night of violence in which chairs were thrown.

Taking to Instagram, Mabuyane posted an image of himself with the caption; “Simply put, the tweets about me tonight are just false, masingothuki. Secondly you must know there’s no war zone kwi ANC in the Eastern Cape. The people have just given us an overwhelming mandate to deliver the #PeoplesManifesto, we will not be sidetracked or distracted.”

Speaking to the Mail & Guardian, Mabuyane and Madikizela dismissed the claims as malicious and added that there was no impropriety in the payments received.

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