Premier rejects ANCYL claim

Masualle dismisses ‘scurrilous’ comments and dares region to prove Hawks meddling

EASTERN Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle has rubbished a “scurrilous” claim by the ANCYL that he is using the Hawks to persecute those who don’t support him for a third term as ANC provincial chairman.

Masualle was responding to a letter written by the Alfred Nzo ANCYL titled “allegations of political persecutions using state machinery by yourself” to Masualle last week.

The league raised concerns about the “mysterious” establishment of a Hawks national task team deployed to the province last month to probe corruption in certain municipalities.

They say the task team was established to “eliminate” ANC politicians who did not support Masualle’s quest for a third term.

At the provincial conference to be held in July, Masualle is expected to run for re-election against incumbent provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane, who is believed to have the backing of Alfred Nzo region.

The task team, appointed by the national head of the Hawks Lieutenant-General Berning Ntlemeza, was established in January to investigate “worsening corruption” in Eastern Cape municipalities.

Among them are Alfred Nzo and O R Tambo district municipalities and Engcobo, Ntabankulu and Mnquma local municipalities.

Alfred Nzo Youth League accused Masualle of using the Hawks to pursue “political persecutions” of ANC leaders, in particular in O R Tambo and Alfred Nzo regions, while turning a blind eye to corruption at Amathole, which recently resolved at its conference to throw its weight behind Masualle’s campaign. This is despite the fact that the Hawks do not take orders from Masualle.

ANC Alfred Nzo regional treasurer Babalo Madikizela’s company, IPM plant hire, is among the firms whose dealings with the state are being probed by the elite crimefighting unit in Mnquma.

Masualle fired back saying the ANC manifesto in 2014 said the party must ensure the implementation of recommendations of forensic investigations in municipalities.

He said corruption was responsible for service delivery protests across the country since 2011.

“You will recall that in 2015 Alfred Nzo also became a hotbed for such protests,” said Masualle.

The league alleged that Masualle’s credibility and independence on the Hawks investigations were “questionable” since he was a “close cousin brother” of Ntlemeza.

“Some comrades and yourself [Masualle] are reported to be having clandestine briefing sessions with the members of the [Hawks] task team about investigations and discussions would then ensue [on] who would be the target,” wrote Alfred Nzo ANCYL regional secretary Abongile Ganya in the letter.

The premier said he was not a relative of Ntlemeza, and the Hawks had a “constitutional duty to report to the premier of the province on their operations”.

The league claims that the “mysterious” establishment of the Hawks task team and its operations are “reasonable grounds” for them to believe Masualle is “using state machinery to eliminate perceived political opponents in the run-up to the provincial conference”.

Masualle poured cold water on this accusation and dared the league to prove it in court.

Alfred Nzo ANCYL chairman Nelisile Xolo yesterday told the Dispatch they were awaiting Masualle’s response and for him to “clarify” the role of the Hawks task team publicly, adding they were ready to take to the streets should the premier not oblige.

Asked when he was going to respond, Masualle said the political contents of the letter were shared and discussed with ANC officials.

The Hawks had not responded to questions at the time of writing yesterday. —