Johannesburg - The ANC’s electoral commission has remained silent over alarming allegations made by eThekwini ward 30 branch member and delegate Thabang Mdletshe of vote buying at the hands of President Cyril Ramaphosa, Gwede Mantashe, and treasurer-general hopeful Bejani Chauke.
Mdletshe has accused some of the members of the ANC Top 7 of having influenced their election through the buying of delegates, which recently-reelected ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe has publicly acknowledged.
Mdletshe has written to the ANC’s electoral commission, Mantashe and the president’s office requesting an investigation into allegations of vote buying during the recently concluded 55th ANC National Conference.
The letter comes after Mantashe acknowledged and confirmed reports on vote buying at the conference in an interview with an eNCA news anchor, Tumelo Mothotoane.
Mantashe had apparently admitted to being offered money in exchange for voting delegates.
Mdletshe stated that on December 20, while Mantashe was being interviewed live at Nasrec by Mothotoane, he admitted that people accused of buying votes or promising delegates money in exchange for votes were present.
“I can tell you. If there is one battle, we almost lost, it is the battle and fight against money. You know, in the past, we had this thing that money was used and so forth. This time around, you find people at the branch level and at the regional level phoning you: I have this number of delegates; please give me so much money,” Mantashe told Mothotoane.
In the same interview, Mantashe accused a certain ANC member who had campaigned for the treasurer-general position of having offered money to delegates in order to secure the position.
He said it was fortunate that this ANC member was not elected to the Top 7 structure of the ruling party.
Mdletshe’s letter, dated December 26, 2022, has been directly addressed to chairperson of the ANC’s electoral committee (EC), Kgalema Motlanthe, and levels allegations of vote buying by members of the Top 7, such as President Ramaphosa, Mantashe, Chauke, and other delegates and candidates.
Mdletshe requests in the letter that the electoral committee investigate the matter and make its findings on or before January 3, 2023.
The KZN delegate and branch member said the purpose of the letter was for the EC to establish the veracity of reports and incidents of vote buying and alleged infringement of some of the rules governing the committee and the election of ANC leaders during elective conferences.
“Request the EC to investigate the alleged infringement of the buying of votes and/or offering of rewards for votes during the 55th ANC Elective Conference. Following investigations conducted by the EC, it is prayed that the EC disqualifies the candidate(s) concerned, namely President Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa, comrade Samson Gwede Mantashe, comrade Bejani Chauke, and such other candidates as determined by the EC,” Mdletshe said in the letter.
Furthermore, Mdletshe said after the investigation, there should be a disciplinary process against those found to have violated the party’s rule books, adding that such people should be referred to the directorate for priority crimes investigations (DPCI) and the SAPS.
Attempts to obtain comment from ANC electoral commission spokesperson Chief Matsila and Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya were unsuccessful, with Matsila acknowledging the questions but not committing to a response by the end of business, implying that he was on holiday.
Chauke was also not available for comment.
The Star