By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula says that the party would pay back any funds it received from the now defunct VBS mutual bank, if the party is found to have benefitted.
The ANC is holding the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg from Thursday until Saturday.
This will be followed by the NEC Lekgotla which will take place from Sunday to Tuesday also in Boksburg.
This is the first meeting of the NEC since the May 29 national and provincial elections.
According to the ANC, the main objective of the NEC Lekgotla is to consolidate and refine action plans based on the six priorities of their 2024 Elections Manifesto.
The six priorities are to drive inclusive growth and job creation, reduce poverty, and tackle the high cost of living, as well as to build a capable, ethical, and developmental state.
“There will be clear directives to structures of the organisation and government departments on a strengthened strategy to improve service delivery and governance, as well as enhanced strategies for economic growth and social development, “the ANC said in a statement.
The ANC failed to win the majority during the 2024 elections. This is the first time since democracy that the party suffered defeat.
Speaking at a briefing ahead of the party’s NEC meeting in Johannesburg on Thursday, Mbalula responded to questions about ANC members implicated in the VBS scandal.
“If the ANC got money from VBS that money must be returned. This includes claims that there was money given to Zweli Mkhize. He has given us a report on that matter,” Mbalula said.
Mkhize and two other top Limpopo ANC leaders have been implicated in an affidavit by former VBS Bank chairperson-turned-state-witness Tshifhiwa Matodzi.
It was not clear what Mkhize’s role in the looting of the bank was but reports alleged he had requested R2 million from the bank.
Mbalula said the NEC had discussed the VBS matter and had decided on a way forward.
“If the money has gone inside the ANC coffers there is a decision by the NEC that we will return the money,” Mbalula said.
Mbalula said all ANC members linked to the looting of VBS bank will step aside once arrested.
The ANC was expected to hold a special NEC meeting to further discuss the matter.
Mbalula said the party would only act against those who had been criminally charged rather than acting on allegations.
He also took a jab at former president Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) party, saying it was formed to promote his friends.
This is after the general secretary of the South African Communist Party, Solly Mapaila, accused its alliance partner the ANC of selling out by working with the Democratic Alliance in the government of national unity rather than the MK party and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
“You say we must work with Zuma, what does Zuma stand for? When he gets into the legislature he replaces people who worked for the Zuma party like [Jabulani] Khumalo and replaces them with [John] Hlophe. Those are people who never went door-to-door,” Mbalula said.
“It’s a coming together of friends of Zuma. This so-called MK party is friends of Jacob Zuma. He went to fetch Hlophe and made him the leader of parliament. The man [Hlophe] is out of depth.
He [Zuma] said; “we wanted to rescue the ANC” — but he [Zuma] has not come to the ANC — “now that I have got this percentage [14% of votes] and how do I want to rescue the ANC with this percentage’,” Mbalula added.