Magashule is doing what he’s always been good at – political analyst

ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule might have some cards up his sleeve yet.

Magashule set tongues wagging on Tuesday night when IOL ran an article stating a warrant for his arrest had been issued in connection with the Estina dairy farm scandal, complete with comment from the man himself.

He was quoted saying he was “aware” a warrant had been issued and that his arrest would be “a Hollywood-style type of thing”.

The only problem is that both the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) say they know nothing about it. The Hawks yesterday issued a statement distancing itself from the IOL article and labelling it “a malicious intent to undermine the integrity of the organisation”.

Sindisiwe Twala, for the NPA’s Investigating Directorate, said her offices had been “shocked” by the article.

“There hasn’t been a warrant issued and if we were planning on arresting him, we would not announce it beforehand,” Twala said.

Even the ANC yesterday morning appeared to have been taken by surprise. The party’s spokesperson, Pule Mabe, told eNCA Magashule had become aware of “a rumour” of his looming arrest and had, as a result, briefed his legal team. Multiple attempts to contact Magashule’s lawyer yesterday were unsuccessful.

The current media storm might be just what Magashule was hoping for. Political analyst Daniel Silke said yesterday Magashule looked to be trying to “control the narrative” and “pre-empt” any legal action by suggesting there were political motives.

“He has already intimated that there is a political conspiracy against him and, by doing this, he is pointing the finger not at his alleged wrongdoing but at political forces who would like to see him ousted,” Silke said, “So, even before any potential charges can be laid against him, he’s suggesting he’s being politically hounded and it does help him muster a certain support base within the ANC”.

Dr Ralph Mathekga, also a political analyst, said Magashule had always characterised the allegations against him in the case in question as “political manoeuvering” and “an attempt to go after him because of his political views, not because he thinks he has a case to answer to”.

“He’s doing what he’s always been good at – stoking political fires,” Mathekga said. He said, though, that if a warrant had indeed been issued, the NPA had some explaining to do. “Someone is lying very badly, I just hope it’s not the NPA,” he said. “Procedurally, it’s a matter of concern if arrests are being announced ahead of time.”

The IOL article this week comes on the back of a number of recent arrests of politicians and businesspeople linked to state capture.

This year, eight people were arrested in connection with the VBS Mutual Bank scandal. And last week, another six were nabbed in connection with a dodgy R250 million tender to remove asbestos roofs in the Free State, as well as another four in connection with fraud and corruption in KwaZulu-Natal dating back to the 2020 Fifa World Cup.

In 2018, a number of people were arrested in connection with the Estina dairy farm scandal, but the NPA has since provisionally withdrawn the charges. Magashule has previously been linked to the Guptas, with his son having been employed by one of the family’s companies and he himself having worked with Tony Gupta for three years.

– bernadettew@citizen.co.za

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