The DA has urged the Zondo Commission to summon Ace Magashule to appear before it, this after the release of a book that implicates Magashule in State Capture.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Free State has urged Judge Zondo to summon the African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Ace Magashule to appear before the Commission into State Capture, after a book by investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh detailed alleged events and transactions that implicate Magashule in State Capture.
The DA provincial leader, Patricia Kopane, said that the party intended to hand over the information enclosed in Myburgh’s book to the commission as an addition to the report they had previously submitted on Magashule’s work while he was a premier in the Free State.
“We will refer this information including a copy of this lease agreement and the photos like I indicated of the unoccupied building still being renovated to the Zondo Commission. Our hope is of this commission to summon Ace Magashule to come and testify before the Commission.
“This information, along with the revelation of this past weekend, unfortunately clearly shows that the people of the Free State have been failed by the police, definitely. Because we reported this matter to the police, and the Hawks; myself I did have private meetings with the Hawks and reported this matter, but nothing happened over the years,” Kopane said.
In an interesting twist of events, the ANC has now reportedly said that Magashule must handle the corruption claims made by Myburgh in the book on his personal capacity. On Sunday, 31 March 2019, the ANC spokesperson Dakota Legoete had released a statement refuting the allegations against Magashule, and even went as far as calling Myburgh a liar who was out to destroy the ANC’s reputation just in time for elections.
On Tuesday, 2 April 2019, News24 reported that the ANC had held a meeting on Monday night, 1 April 2019, where it was decided that Magashule would be handling the matter in his personal capacity going forward.
“There was a feeling that he had no authority to issue a statement about a personal issue on behalf of the ANC,” said one national executive committee (NEC) member, who did not want to be named.
However, Legoete came to Magashule’s defence, saying that the book not only implicated Magashule, but also implicated the party because the allegations are of when Magashule held a public office.
“How can this be a private matter when every allegation is based on the term of public office, therefore it’s a matter of public interest,” said Legoete.
“What has been the line is that a leader will have to answer to allegations that affect them in their areas of deployment in this regard the Premier of Free State,” he added.
Abenathi Gqomo
a.gqomo@politicalanalysis.co.za
