Mantashe slams corruption in ANC ahead of 105th celebrations
CORRUPTION within the ANC is so rife that it can no longer be regarded as a perception, according to party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
Speaking to party supporters in Evaton‚ south of Johannesburg yesterday, Mantashe warned corruption could not be allowed to continue as it hampered government’s ability to deliver services.
“The ANC should not be corrupt and if the ANC is corrupt‚ then something has gone wrong. At this stage‚ we cannot say that it [corruption] is a perception.
“There are people in the ANC who loot the state and when you loot‚ you destroy the ability of the state to deliver services‚” Mantashe said to loud applause from community members and party supporters.
Mantashe was in the area to drum up support ahead of the party’s 105th birthday celebrations to be held at Orlando Stadium.
His frank admission struck a cord with the audience‚ with some shouting that they had been reduced to living like farmdwellers without services.
It was not the first time Mantashe has spoken out against corruption within his own party. He previously blamed the party’s misfortunes in the August local government elections on corruption.
Mantashe acknowledged that not much had been done by government to develop Evaton.
“We can’t leave Evaton as it is much longer‚ with no streets. We can’t complain that there is no money … there is money but the problem is ‘how do we use it’.”
Millions in development funds under the auspices of the Evaton Renewal Project were allocated during the administrations of former Gauteng premiers Mbhazima Shilowa and Nomvula Mokonyane. However, this does not appear to have resulted in much change.
The project was intended to abolish bucket toilets in the area, as well as build houses‚ streets and a proper sewerage system.
Sunday’s celebrations at Orlando Stadium will also serve to celebrate the 100th birthday of former ANC president Oliver Tambo.
Mantashe warned that persistent corruption within the party could not be allowed to continue any longer because it posed a risk to the legacy of Tambo.
“You can’t associate Oliver Tambo with corruption as he exemplified the ethics and revolutionary morality of the ANC.”