SACP calls for probe into ‘wealth gain through corporate capture’
THE SOUTH African Communist Party has called for a judicial commission of inquiry into the “accumulation of wealth through corporate capture” after the ANC’s national executive committee’s statement released on Sunday.
SACP second deputy-general secretary Solly Mapaila said “corporate capture must be faced head on”.
Mapaila was speaking at the National Bargaining Conference of the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) at the Cape Sun yesterday.
“I do not account to the Gupta family and our movement does not account to the Guptas. Once corporate capture has succeeded and the institutions have been captured, the revolution has been defeated,” he said.
Mapaila also admitted to knowing that former finance minister Nhanhle Nene would be removed from his post “a few weeks” before, having heard the information from two sources. However, he said he was “shocked” when Nene was axed in December. “I was briefed by some people and it was news to me, but I didn’t trust the source. We invited comrade Nene to speak at our last meeting in November and just as we finalised our agenda, a comrade working in the headquarters of the party involved in organising the event asked me why we would invite him to speak if he was going to
be removed. Just as we finished the second Cosatu congress, another person – this time a credible source – told me the same thing. When it happened, it shook our system that such decisions could be known by people outside. It shouldn’t be the case.”
The SACP is the first alliance partner to react to the ANC’s media briefing on the outcome of its NEC meeting on Sunday.
Mapaila made the comments in the wake of allegations of “state capture” last week by former public enterprises portfolio committee chairwoman Vytjie Mentor and Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas. They also said they had been offered positions in cabinet as ministers. Former public enterprises minister, Barbara Hogan, also revealed last week that she had been pressured to meet the Gupta family.
The ANC’s NEC rejected the allegations of “state capture” out of hand on Sunday.
“We reject the notion of any business or family group seeking such influence over the ANC with the contempt it deserves, while also recognising the need to act to protect the integrity of our government and our organisation,” it said.
The NEC also called on all ANC members to approach the secretary-general’s office with information regarding any allegations relating to possible interference, confirming that a Code of Conduct for ANC members doing business with the state would be developed.
Mapaila said: “We should refrain from condemning those comrades who have raised this matter through their courage and honesty.”
Mapaila expressed concern over the “campaign” to besmirch the leadership of the SACP and Cosatu, claiming it was facilitated by the “corporate capturers”. He said “intelligence services were pursuing the leader of the communist party”.
“We do not understand why. We are not the enemy of the revolution.”
Factionalism was another issue tackled in Mapaila’s address, with the SACP condemning the “deepening factionalism in the movement”, calling for the ANC to distance itself from the “premier league”.
“It is clear this faction is a political front of the Guptas using the ANC stage. The party is not an alliance with the faction, but with the ANC,” he added.
The Gupta family could not be reached for comment at the time of going to print.