By Simon Nare
Gauteng finance and economic development MEC Lebogang Maile has refused to be provoked by potential threats from ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula after he hinted that he might be charged for ill-discipline following posts he made on X.
Addressing journalists on the state of readiness for the January 8 celebrations at Khayelitsha in Cape Town on Monday, Mbalula announced that two ANC veterans would be charged for bringing the party into disrepute.
He further said more members would be charged for posting unsavory social media statements. Mbalula specifically mentioned those who had posted that they were not cowards.
Last week after Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi met Mbalula over his views on the Government of National Unity, Maile posted on X.
“This is my heritage, that’s the only anything I know. The ANC is not a cult of personality. We are not cowards. We will fight with everything we have,” he said.
The post comes amid speculation that the ANC special National Executive Committee meeting ahead of the January 8 statement will resolve to disband the Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provincial executive committees following poor results in last year’s elections.
Speaking at the SACP’s commemoration of Joe Slovo at the Avalon Cemetery at Soweto on Monday, President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that discussions were taking place.
When asked by a reporter how far the talks were on the disbandment of the two structures, Ramaphosa replied: “The discussions were ongoing.”
Mbalula said statements by ANC leaders bringing the party into disrepute on social media platforms would no longer be tolerated, and these members would be called into disciplinary hearings to explain themselves.
Maile held a press conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday to quell reports that the province was in financial turmoil and could be bankrupt by mid-year.
He was asked to comment on Mbalula’s threat but declined to say anything.
Rather, Maile was prepared to answer questions on the state of the province’s financial affairs.
He said reports that the province would be bankrupt only served to sow despondency among the residents and businesses in the province.
He added that as of November 2024, the overall expenditure of the provincial government stood at R115.238 billion or 68% of the adjusted budget of R169 213 billion.
Maile said this meant that the province was left with R53.9 billion until the end of March 2025. He added that the expenditure was mainly driven by education and health departments, which accounted for 80% of the total expenditure.
“Overall GPG budget increased by R3.4 billion during the 2024/25 adjustment budget which comprises of function shifts, surrenders and suspensions (R92.9 million), rollovers (R1.2 billion) and provincial additional funding R2.1 billion.
“While the 2024/25 Adjustments Budget saw a net injection of R3.4 billion in the form of additional funding and approved rollovers, there is still pressure in a few other departments. This will necessitate further reprioritisation to avoid unauthorised expenditure at the end of the financial year,” he said.
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