GAUTENG SA Communist Party (SACP) has come out in defence of embattled Premier David Makhura, MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi and ANC provincial secretary Jacob Khawe against ‘wedge-drivers’ and divisive elements.
Makhura, Lesufi and Khawe have been subject of damning allegations involving personal protective equipment corruption scandals in Gauteng in the past few weeks.
The SACP in Gauteng held its ordinary Provincial Working Committee (PWC) on 1 February 2021, where it resolved to call on all “revolutionary forces in the province to maximise their unity, isolate wedge drivers and divisive elements, hell-bent on attacking our historic and primary political partner, the ANC”.
The party said it was directly opposed to calls from the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) for Makhura to be hauled before the ANC’s Integrity Commission.
The SACP argues that no processes have been completed to find Makhura, Lesufi and Khawe in the wrong.
“The PWC noted that in the case of comrade David Makhura, a mere mistake in the analysis of evidence by a Judge in a Tribunal where comrade Makhura was not even a subject before the court, has been elevated to allegations of corruption,” said SACP deputy provincial secretary, Sekete Moshoeshoe.
“A Judge clearly misrepresented the affidavit of former Department of Health Chief Financial Officer (CFO) by conflating and clouding the words “Premier” the person with the Department and “the Office of the Premier”. In other words, the key issue before the people of the province is a gross and clear mistake by the Judge. We are convinced that as matters stand, there are no allegations made by any person relating to corruption by Premier David Makhura.”
The party argued that in the case of comrade Lesufi, the PWC noted the Accounting Officer’s report on the spending of R431 million in the disinfection and the deep cleaning of schools.
The meeting was of the view that the attacks against Lesufi in the absence of a report by a relevant and competent authority, constitutes a vicious, factional and slanderous attack, said Moshoeshoe.
The meeting called on the people of the province to wait for the outcome of a proper investigation on this matter.
“With respect to comrade Jacob Khawe and the allegation that he manipulated tender processes in Emfuleni Municipality in favour of his wife, without a proper investigation by a reputable and credible authority, borders on factionalism, slander and malicious attacks. The PWC concluded that equally, the people of the province should wait for the outcome of an investigation on this matter by a competent institution,” he said.
The party’s meeting further called “for the immediate isolation of the enemy from within or preferably what Oliver Reginald Tambo would have simply referred to as “wedge drivers””.
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
