SACP condemns ‘malicious’ allegations over public protector probe

The South African Communist Party has condemned allegations of wrongdoing regarding a public protector investigation into its deputy national chairperson, Thulas Nxesi.

In a statement on Saturday, the party said it “strongly denounces the malicious and baseless allegations manufactured to implicate it in alleged wrongdoing and dismisses such allegations with the contempt they deserve”.

“It does not take rocket science to see what game is being played through such allegations,” it said.

“This is a direct response to the allegations contained in a correspondence circulating on digital messenger platforms, purported to have been sent to comrade Thulas Nxesi, SACP deputy national chairperson, in his capacity as the minister, by the incumbent public protector, advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, and to the inquiries about it.”

In the statement, the SACP said that those implicated had already responded to these allegations, and shared an article published in the Daily Maverick.

News24 previously reported that the public protector’s office had allegedly received an anonymous complaint against former public works minister Nxesi and executives at the department.

It also concerned the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

“The SACP also understands that these allegations have already been investigated by another competent public institution with a constitutional standing,” the party said.

“The attempt to resuscitate such unfounded allegations using the public protector for a ‘second bite’ is wasteful and malicious, to say the least.”

In June, the SACP called on parliament to launch an inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.

Recently, however, the party said that “certain social media accounts were used to launch the so-called ‘breaking news’, announcing this or that investigation by the incumbent public protector into allegations purported to be associated with the SACP”.

“The SACP is resolute in its stance and fight against state capture and other forms of corruption and wrongdoing. The SACP will not allow anything whatsoever or either any person or establishment to push the party to retreat from this commitment,” the statement reads.

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