Lolo Madonsela
A case of alleged bribery and intimidation has been opened against a high-ranking ANC member in AbaQulusi.
AbaQulusi Municipal Manager Bonga Ntanzi said he opened a case against the ANC member following advice from his legal team.
“He had asked for a meeting with me through someone who is close to me and I reluctantly agreed to the meeting. He said he had two things to say; firstly to apologise for everything he had put me through by trying to force me out of my position, and secondly to request me to leave my position as municipal manager and take a severance package.
“I told him that the severance was no longer in existence and he told me it was possible and that I could walk away with roughly one million. I told him I was not willing to do that. He also mentioned that he knew I have a struggling piggery farm. He said that after I had taken the package, he would be able to assist in ensuring that the farming business takes off the ground; so that there won’t be bad blood when we meet on the streets,” said Ntanzi.
Ntanzi further said that, “After consulting with my legal team, I was advised to open a case of bribery, which is corruption, and of intimidation. That is why I cannot give you all the details, as the matter is now subjudice.”
He added that the attempt to remove him as municipal manager had been ongoing for a while, which led to a number of allegations levelled against him, which he said, “It was all because I am a stumbling block to their efforts to take over in the municipality. That is why he even said that all that was happening was not personal; hence he felt the need to apologise for it.”
The implicated ANC member said, “I heard there is a case open, but no charge has been made yet, so I cannot comment on the matter for now.”
This case comes soon after the DA in the province called on the ANC in the province to relieve three high-ranking ANC members in the Mzala Nxumalo Region from their positions following allegations of bribery.
Also read: Vryheid KZN – DA wants ANC regional chair to step down
The trio allegedly attempted to pay a bribe of R20,000 to DA Councillor Magda Viktor in order to persuade her to vote with the ANC on a vote of ‘no confidence’ against the IFP speaker, Michel Khumalo, or remain absent from the meeting.
The trio appeared in the Vryheid Magistrate’s Court last week Monday and the case was postponed to October 8.
The DA’s call was fuelled by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent declaration that all ANC officials who have been officially charged for corruption should immediately step down from their positions.
When the Vryheid Herald spoke to ANC provincial spokesperson Nhlakanipho Ntombela last week, he said they were consolidating the list of all members formally charged with corruption from all the regions and that the decision would then be made.
At the time of going to print on Tuesday, Ntombela could not comment and said that, “The PEC decision on that matter will be announced later today in a press conference.” The outcome of the press conference will be published in next week’s edition.
Make sure you follow us on our social media platforms for regular updates
