Gigaba’s KZN ‘homies’ say smear campaign behind ‘selfless’ resignation
THE ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal’s General Gizenga Mpanza region said that Malusi Gigaba’s resignation as home affairs minister on Tuesday resulted from consistent and sustained attacks aimed at destroying his reputation and credibility.
Gigaba tendered his resignation to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday after he had come increasingly under pressure in recent weeks.
This after Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane recommended that Ramaphosa sack him for lying under oath in a breach of the Executive Ethics Code and the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests for Assembly and Permanent Council Members.
Earlier this year a court ruled that Gigaba’s testimony, that he had not given approval to Oppenheimerowned Fireblade Aviation to operate a private terminal at OR Tambo International Airport, was a lie.
The decision of the high court was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court of Appeals and later by the Constitutional Court.
However, the Youth League in General Gizenga Mpanga Region, the ANC region on the KZN North Coast from where Gigaba hails, defended Gigaba, saying that his resignation was because of a smear campaign against him.
“It is an open secret that Gigaba is being maltreated solely because he refused to auction the nation’s most valuable asset, OR Tambo International Airport terminal bays, to the Oppenheimer family for private use,” said Mncedisi Magubane, secretary of the Youth League in the region.
On Sunday Gigaba visited and held a meeting with the ANCYL in the General Gizenga Mpanza region, but he did not mention anything about resigning some 48 hours later.
The Youth League’s regional spokesperson, Ngcebo Mazibuko, said that Gigaba had updated the league’s regional leadership on the latest political developments in his career and the challenges he was facing.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal said that in resigning, Gigaba had demonstrated selflessness by putting the country first.
“Undoubtedly stepping down will give him time to attend to the challenges he is facing, as he pointed out in his resignation letter. We commend both President Ramaphosa and the ANC for handling this resignation with dignity,” said ANC KZN spokesperson Nomagugu Simelane Zulu.
In a statement released shortly after his resignation, Gigaba said that his resignation was not an admission of guilt but that he resigned following a long period of sustained and vitriolic public attacks on his integrity.
“The integrity and public standing of the government and ANC, of which I am a loyal and proud member, is more important than any other political office bearer.
“I have filed an application for judicial review of the Public Protector’s finding with respect to the Fireblade Aviation matter and I intend to defend all other matters which resulted from my term of office as a member of the Cabinet,” said Gigaba.
Gigaba’s spokesperson, Vuyo Mkhize, did not respond to requests for comment.