Arrests won’t stop because of ANC conference — Lamola
● Justice minister Ronald Lamola has warned that the country’s law enforcement agencies will not stop taking action against politicians and officials implicated in corruption simply because they claim conspiracies related to the upcoming ANC elective conference.
Speaking at the Drakensberg Inclusive Growth Forum hosted by the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation on Saturday, Lamola said the age of accountability has dawned in South Africa and challenged those facing the music to adduce evidence of abuse of state organs for political reasons.
“The age and stage we are in is a phase of accountability, where people are arrested, political elites, big business people and multilateral corporates [face the music]. And once such things happen, it is a given in any society that there will be conspiracies, and that there’s interference in the work of the NPA. Or that there’s someone such as Lamola or the president of the republic who is telling the NPA arrest this one or don’t arrest this one,” he said.
Lamola’s statement follows the arrest of top civil servants such as former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe, former Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama and several others. Politicians whose cases have come before the courts include suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane, former MP Vincent Smith and former state security minister Bongani Bongo.
Supporters of former health minister Zweli Mkhize, who resigned in the wake of the Digital Vibes scandal, have said he was victimised because of his ambitions. He was recently nominated by most branches in KwaZulu-Natal to challenge President Cyril Ramaphosa for the ANC presidency. Members of factions considered opposed to Ramaphosa have publicly accused his administration of abusing state organs to fight political battles.
“In any society when accountability beckons, those that are called to account hide behind conspiracies and attacks on institutions of the state aimed at maintaining the rule of law, like the NPA and the judi
ciary,” Lamola told the Sunday Times after his address.
“It is worse in our situation where we’re going to conference. All manner of unsubstantiated accusations will be thrown at law enforcement agencies, that there is a hidden hand behind prosecutions, despite the fact that these institutions are protected by the constitution and the NPA Act. It is criminal to improperly interfere with these institutions.”
Lamola quoted section 32b of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, which states that anyone who prohibits or obstructs employees of the NPA from doing their work could face imprisonment or a fine.
He said those who claim that he or the president interfered with state institutions to prosecute them should provide evidence “so that we may face the law”. “So I therefore challenge anyone in this political silly season, in the ruling party in particular, where those called to account rally behind conspiracies that there are people directing the work of the law enforcement agencies, to arrest them. They have sections that can help them. I can be arrested. The president of the republic can be arrested. So anyone who does not do so is a conspirator, a liar and a fraudster. There must be accountability in this country. And we will not allow conspiracies to derail our job,” said Lamola.
He said the fight against crime was central to the creation of an environment conducive for investment and economic growth.
“We must invest more so the country can reap the benefits of a crimefree, corruption-free investment environment, which will then attract foreign investment. There will be no economic growth if we do not succeed.”