Faku’s friends fight for her acquittal
A GROUP calling itself Friends of Zukisa Faku (FOZF) has been launched in East London to support the former Buffalo City executive mayor who is facing fraud charges.
This is the second group to be launched in the province, following last week’s launch of the Friends of the Youth League at Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus.
FOFZ is made up of politicians, religious groups, sports personalities and business people.
The fraud charges stem from Faku’s alleged unauthorised personal use of a municipal credit card on an official trip to Turkey in March 2009.
She is alleged to have fraudulently used the card to buy a leather jacket and groceries at local supermarkets.
BCM ratepayer Mziwodumo Dliwayo was the first to open a fraud case against Faku, but the Daily Dispatch reported last week he had since lost interest in the case and the two had resolved their differences.
At the time, Faku admitted she had used the card to buy the leather jacket and groceries.
Last week the Friends of Zukisa Faku was busy conducting “consultative rounds” around the metro to gather support and donations towards supporting Faku.
“As friends of the former mayor, we took it upon ourselves to publicly demonstrate our support for this principled comrade.
“This is an issue that happened years back, was resolved politically; she acknowledged her wrong [doing] and she apologised and paid what she had used.
“We don’t know why this is resurfacing or who did so as the municipality did not initiate any charges, and the previous complainant has distanced himself from the current court case,” FOZF spokesman Slumko Bushula said on Friday.
Bushula said they believed the charges against Faku were politically motivated in the wake of her becoming chairwoman of the regional ANC executive.
“This has nothing to do with tenders, but was just an honest mistake which she acknowledged.
“Politically, she is principled but she is human and makes mistakes, which she has paid for.
“As friends, this is why we came out to show our public support for this leader of ours during these turbulent times.”
Bushula said the group was apolitical, and consisted of a broad spectrum of people, “who are not there to fight the courts, but to fight these faceless people who are fighting a political battle with our friend”.
Bushula said the first leg of the campaign began on Saturday, when a large motorcade drove throughout Mdantsane marketing the idea.
“There were so many surprised as well.
“It’s unfortunate we did not have time to go to King William’s Town and East London’s suburbs. But the first leg was a success,” said Bushula.
Yesterday there was “an hour of praise” hosted at the Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre, where religious leaders prayed for Faku’s acquittal.
A night vigil is scheduled from 10pm tonight at the Gompo Community Hall in Duncan Village, before the group marches to the East London Magistrate’s Court tomorrow morning where Faku is scheduled to make her first court appearance.
BCM spokesman Keith Ngesi distanced the city from the court case, saying the municipality had nothing to do with Faku being charged in court.
Faku could not be reached for comment yesterday. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
people, we were