The African National Congress (ANC) says those testifying at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture are not speaking for the party.
Acting ANC spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa was addressing the media at Irene outside Pretoria where the party’s NEC and Lekgotla meetings are taking place.
He was reacting to a Sunday newspaper that alleged that former Bosasa boss, Angelo Agrizzi, who is currently testifying at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, will be implicating senior ANC members in allegedly taking monthly bribes from the company.
The ANC top brass are gathering for the first time after the party’s annual January 8 statement address in Durban last week.
With the upcoming national elections looming, key priority points like service delivery, boosting the economy and job creation top the agenda.
But the allegation that emerged from the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture is another headache for the ANC.
The party emphasised that those implicated didn’t act for the ANC and must therefore defend themselves.
Kodwa says:”Regardless of how many names of ANC senior politicians or leaders appear before the commission, it does not mean they appear on behalf of the ANC, they will appear in their own capacity.”
“The commission may call whoever relevant to corroborate any information but as the ANC whoever is mentioned would not have acted on behalf of the ANC.”
“There is no allegation against the ANC as an organisation except in the instance that a certain allegation which has been made against some MEC of North West who went to Bosasa to ask for money for elections. Whether he did that on the mandate of the organisation is for that individual to mention and the organisation in that instance will go and testify and contradict that evidence.”
Meanwhile, the party also called for the commission to be respected and supported, and for people not to jump to conclusions without accurate facts.
Kodwa says:”No testimony has been presented at the commission that speaks of the list presented in the papers, the ANC will continue to support the work of the commission no doubt about it.”
“Because it’s us internally who realised that there’s some wrongdoing that was taking place in some institutions. So we will guard the integrity of this commission.”
Meanwhile, ANC top brass completed a two day NEC meeting. The gathering is followed by the ANC Lekgotla.
ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule says:”Today and tomorrow we have the ANC Lekgotla where we have invited the alliance partners and other stakeholders. Today we are presenting the election manifesto so that we chart the way and move as a united force to grow South Africa.”
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