EFF ‘appalled’ by Eastern Cape MEC’s utterances on corrupt individuals
Eastern Cape Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha said disciplinary action against corrupt individuals would only prove stressful while battling COVID-19.
It was only a matter of time before we would hear the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) stance on the explosive utterances made by Cogta MEC in the Eastern Cape Xolile Nqatha. The MEC recently suggested that corrupt individuals in quarantine not be disciplined as it may cause unnecessary “stress” in their recovery journey. He also said it wouldn’t be “comradely”.
EFF RESPONDS TO EASTERN CAPE MEC’S COMMENTS
The party said the words that came out of Nqatha’s mouth are shameful, especially for a public representative who is meant to encourage good governance at the local government level.
“When Nqatha declares that it is anti-ANC to investigate corruption during a health pandemic, a health pandemic in which ANC officials are engaged in large-scale looting, he confirms the fact that corruption in the ruling party is an institutionalised tradition,” it said in a statement on Thursday.
“The MEC knows very well that his colleagues in the Eastern Cape are involved in despicable corrupt activities under his watch with municipalities dispensing R4.8 million for door-to-door campaigns, R10 million dispensed for scooters without a purpose and corruption involving PPE’s,” it added.
‘NO COMRADESHIP IN CORRUPTION’
Targeting the ruling party, the EFF said there is no ubuntu to be practised with people who steal food parcels loot money and take advantage of a health crisis to enrich themselves.
“There is no comradeship in corruption. Criminal investigations must be pursued against all those who are found to be corrupt, whether they be in quarantine or test positive for COVID-19,” it said.
NQATHA TAKES STANCE ON CORRUPT INDIVIDUALS
Buffalo City Municipality speaker Alfred Mtsi succumbed to COVID-19 related complications last week. Paying tribute at his memorial service, Nqatha took to the podium and said some very unexpected things.
“The challenges of this coronavirus do not require a stressed cadreship, for that weakens the immune system,” he said.
“If you’re contemplating to discipline anyone who must be held accountable for wrongdoing… if that person is in quarantine because he is ill, don’t discipline that person. It’s un-ANC, it’s not comradely to treat each other that way. It’s against the spirit of comrade Mtsi,” he added.
Former mayor of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba posted Nqatha’s comments to Twitter and said the ANC has no shame.
“Just when I thought we had hit rock bottom as a country,” he said.
The Cogta department sent out a response on behalf of Nqatha saying it was not his intention and he was misquoted.
“The Hon. MEC is deliberately quoted out of context to drive a certain narrative and tarnish his image. He made a clarion call to his comrades deployed in the municipality to be comradely with each other regardless of their differences, this he raised in the context of the existing political challenges in the institution,” the department said.