The African National Congress (ANC) Electoral Committee has called on all ANC members to refrain from abusing party processes by making allegations that are not backed up by tangible evidence.
This after a scathing letter addressed to the Committee Chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe was circulated on social media accusing ANC leaders of buying votes at the 55th National Conference of the ANC.
The letter which parked outrage, allegedly written by ANC KwaZulu-Natal member Thabang Mdletshe, accuses Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe, and Treasurer-General candidate Bejani Chauke of vote-buying.
However, the letter has now been confirmed as fake.
VIDEO: ANC electoral committee says the vote-buying complaint letter is “fake”
The committee says the alleged author, ANC KZN member Thabang Mdletshe, has categorically distanced himself from it, saying some ANC members seek to tarnish his name.
“The electoral committee did not receive the letter via an email or normal means of communication. We picked it up from the social media WhatsApp groups, and the members of our electoral committee dropped it on our WhatsApp group and we decided that we need to attend to it as if it is true. But we have now got written confirmation from comrade Thabang Mdletshe indicating that the letter is false and fraudulent and he’s taking it up with his attorney and regional secretary of eThekwini,” says ANC electoral committee, Chief Livhuwani Matsile,
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal says it will not be drawn into letters written by faceless people.
“We normally don’t engage in things that don’t exist. As we stand now, there is truth on the matter, the letter is fake, and it is fraudulent and written by faceless people whose intention is to undermine the democratic process of the ANC. And we will do everything in our power to undermine that effort. We’ll unite our people of South Africa, we will unite the ANC and focus on the election campaign towards 2024 led by President Ramaphosa,” says ANC KZN secretary Bheki Mtolo.
VIDEO: ANC KZN responds to vote buying allegations
One Analyst has warned that, if ANC members who feel aggrieved about the results of the last 55th National Conference of the ANC don’t provide evidence regarding their complaints and accusations, this would cause problems for the newly elected ANC leadership.
“These kinds of allegations are divisive, they have got the potential to create problems in the leadership. But if there is sufficient evidence brought to the fore, it should be done quickly, so that those who are involved in wrongdoing should be dealt with,” says political analyst Dr. Levy Ndou.
VIDEO: Allegations of vote-buying at ANC National Conference: Dr Levy Ndou
Thabang Mdletshe has since written a letter to the ANC Electoral Committee, assuring them that he is not the author of this letter.
