They will once again rubbish Mkhwebane’s report, Malema warns

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has warned South Africans about the possibility of nothing coming out of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s latest report implicating Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane.

The report into “allegations of corruption, maladministration or misuse of public funds by senior and executive Eastern Cape government officials and the Mbizana Local Municipality”, released on Friday, found that Mabuyane allegedly pocketed R450,000 from money set aside for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s memorial service in Mbizana in 2018.

The money allegedly went into the account of Allan Morran Design Architectural Services, to pay for renovations at Mabuyane’s private residence.

While the premier denied any knowledge of the payment, Mkhwebane’s report says evidence was found that his wife advised the business owner of Allan Morran Design through an email that the money was to be used for renovations to their private house.

The public protector has recommended that the Hawks investigate the matter further.

Read more: How Mabuyane, ANC pocketed R1.1 million from Winnie Mandela’s memorial service

Reacting to the report, Malema warned South Africans against raising their hopes, claiming that no one in the Eastern Cape gets arrested, despite the province apparently being one of the most corrupt in the country.

“We are very happy that Oscar has been exposed. Eastern Cape is one of the most corrupt provinces but you never hear of any prominent arrest in the province. I mean, Covid, people were pushing wheelbarrows saying it’s ambulances, till today no one has been arrested,” he told the media in Ward 22 Rustenburg on Friday,

“We don’t understand why Eastern Cape people are not being arrested when they’re the most corrupt. They’re shielding and protecting each other. Even this PP’s report, you must look at how it is going to be rubbished by the powers that be to discredit her in defence of the premier of the Eastern Cape.”

The country is still reeling from the R22 million that was spent by the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality on a sports facility in Lesseyton.

The municipality initially defended the expenditure and said the pictures circulating on social media provided minimal detail about the centre.

The Hawks are investigating the stadium spending after the EFF laid criminal charges.