Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina. Picture: Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu
The City of Ekurhuleni executive mayor Mzwandile Masina has come out to defend ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule after a warrant of his arrest was issued over allegations of fraud and corruption on Tuesday.
The Hawks confirmed that Magashule would appear in court on Friday morning, in connection to a 2014 Free State asbestos audit tender worth R255 million.
On Twitter, Masina slammed the action taken against Magashule.
“You can arrest Magashule for all his sins, but not his ideas of Radical Economic Transformation (RET). We fear nothing, we have been on this road at some point and we fear nothing. The abuse of state organs to further political ends have short legs. We will meet at the festival OK,” he tweeted.
ALSO READ: First take: What Ace Magashule’s arrest warrant means
Masina further defended Magashule, claiming his arrest was based on “apartheid laws”.
“Arresting leadership based on apartheid laws does not make sense. I reject this arrest and will be in court with my SG (secretary-general) to support him against this democratic disgrace. No stepping down is applicable until those documents are unsealed in court. No to selective prosecution,” Masina added.
The ANC, including Masina himself, has previously said that members implicated in corruption should step aside from their official positions until innocent.
READ MORE: ‘Rejoice’ as opposition parties react to Magashule’s arrest warrant
Meanwhile, the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) also slammed the warrant of arrest.
“As MKMVA we warned many times against the selective use of corruption charges and the law enforcement agencies as tools for factional targeting and political infighting causes disunity in the ANC and overall in our country. It is also fundamentally disrespectful of our Constution [sic] and the rule of law in general,” MKMVA spokesperson, Carl Niehaus, said in a statement.
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