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- Controversial ANC MP Bongani Bongo is officially on leave after the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) ruled over the weekend that those accused or found guilty of corruption should stand down.
- Bongo, who chairs Parliament’s home affairs committee, was absent from a meeting on Tuesday and a sitting president was elected.
- The committee members demanded answers about his leave of absence.
The ANC deputy accused of corruption, Bongani Bongo, is officially on leave, but the Parliament’s home affairs committee does not yet know the reasons for his sudden absence.
This weekend, the National Executive Committee (CNE) of the ANC ruled that all those accused or found guilty of corruption and other serious crimes must withdraw from all their organizational and governmental positions, pending the completion of their cases.
Bongo, who faces corruption charges over the alleged bribery of attorney Ntuthuzelo Vanara, was one of several members asked to step aside.
During a virtual meeting of Parliament’s home affairs committee on Tuesday, MPs demanded answers for Bongo’s absence.
Before the meeting started, DA MP Joseph McGluwa said: “I see people running everywhere. What is happening in [the] home affairs [committee]? People can’t join this [virtual] meeting. They are looking for links. Where is the president (Bongo)? “
McGluwa then demanded answers for Bongo’s absence.
“I just want to check. Usually when someone is on leave, reasons are given to leave. We all know [are] these rumors in the newspapers about the reasons … Is it possible that we can give the reasons why the president was fired? “, I ask.
The committee’s secretary, Eddie Mathonsi, who chaired the meeting until an interim chair was elected, said Bongo had called him to inform him that he was on leave.
“When I spoke to him yesterday, he just indicated that he is on leave. He did not give me any reason. I accept what I also read in the news, but there is no other reason he gave me, other than that he is … on leave. That’s it, “he said.
Both the head of the ANC in Parliament, Pemmy Majodina, and the office of President Thandi Modise said they had not received any communication from Bongo indicating whether or not he would depart from his duties.
“No, he did not indicate,” was Majodina’s response to News24 when asked if Bongo had applied for an extended leave of absence from his position as chair of the committee.
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ANC MP Desmond Moela said Bongo was not fired and it was clear that he was on leave.
“If he’s been fired, it’s not McGluwa’s business, it’s ANC’s business,” he said.
Richard Dyanti, a deputy from the ANC, nominated his colleague, Mosa Chabane, to serve as chair of the committee. Without delay, Chabane was elected acting president.
DA Thembisile MP Khanyile said the party was not in favor of Chabane’s election, considering that no clear reasons were given for Bongo’s departure.
“About a year ago, the district attorney voted against the election of Bongo as president. It was the ANC members of this committee who voted for him. We hope the ANC has learned its lesson today,” he said.
In response to Khanyile, Dyanti said: “This is nonsense. There is nothing to say.”
McGluwa almost immediately shouted: “We told you, we told you that there is a charge against you and you did not listen. You have been fired by the ANC, you are fired and the ANC is afraid to say so.”
‘Fix the price’
Bongo, a former Minister of State Security, is accused of trying to disrupt a parliamentary investigation into the state capture in Eskom on October 10, 2017.
In 2017, former president Jacob Zuma announced an investigation into the power company, following several accusations of corruption.
According to an affidavit from Vanara, who was the investigation’s evidence leader at the time, Bongo asked him to feign illness and take sick leave because the investigation could not continue in his absence.
Bongo also allegedly offered Vanara, who was also the former acting registrar of members’ interests in Parliament, a cash bribe.
READ HERE | Mahumapelo and Zwane in the court gallery to support Bongani Bongo in a corruption case
All Vanara had to do was “name the price” and explain to Bongo how he would help stop the investigation.
Bongo, in turn, would go back to the “people of Eskom” and explain Vanara’s plan to stop the investigation and the price they would have to pay for their (Vanara’s) help.
Money would then be given to Bongo, who would hand it over to Vanara.
– Additional information from Tshidi Madia
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