Another ANC big wig steps aside in Limpopo

The Limpopo ANC has finally suspended its provincial treasurer Danny Msiza but some party branches view the move as a political ploy, aimed at disturbing him from becoming the fifth ANC provincial chair and premier at the party’s provincial elective conference next year.

Msiza’ suspension comes after a damning letter from ANC acting secretary-general Jessie Duarte, who accused the province of failing to implement the step-aside resolution.

According to the resolution, those facing corruption or other criminal charges must temporarily vacate their positions.

But Msiza, who is among the 13 people facing charges of racketeering, corruption, money laundering, fraud, corruption and contraventions of the Preventions of Organised Crimes Act, failed to step aside, despite the resolution.

He is the eighth ANC politician affected by the resolution in the province.

Now, his suspension has irked some party bigwigs in the regions and branches. The politicians accused his political foes of using the resolution to advance their own political goals.

“Msiza is a force to be reckoned with. We had four premiers in Limpopo since the dawn of democracy,” said the disbanded Vhembe ANC Youth League regional chair Fistos Mafela yesterday.

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“We have hoped to elect [Msiza] to become the fifth ANC Limpopo provincial chair and, subsequently, Limpopo premier, come the next provincial elective conference in 2022,” said chair Mafela on Wednesday.

Another Msiza supporter, also from the Vhembe ANCYL, Sibara Pollen likened Msiza to a sacrificial lamb in politics.

“Come low or high waters, Msiza will lead this province. Those ganging up against him will rue the day they crossed his path. He is our future premier,” said Sibara on Wednesday.

But chair of the Phusela branch in Tzaneen in the Norman Mashabane region, Masilo Maloko had only this to say: “No one is above the law. We can now say in confidence that there is a leadership in Limpopo.”

A number of municipalities in Limpopo, North West and Gauteng invested more than R1.5 billion in the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank. This was despite treasury regulations which forbade municipalities from investing public funds in mutual banks.

The investments were also said to have contravened the Municipal Finance Management Act.

The Democratic Alliance in Limpopo applauded the ANC in the province for the suspension. Attempts to get comment from the ANC in Limpopo were not successful.

– news@citizen.co.za.