[ad_1]
- Health Minister Zweli Mkhize responded to rumors that he accepted money from a defendant in the Free State asbestos case.
- Edwin Sodi, one of the seven defendants, is said to have paid Mkhize R6.5 million.
- Mkhize dismissed this, but said that Sodi had donated money to the ANC in the past.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Friday rejected suggestions that Edwin Sodi, a defendant in the Free State asbestos case, had paid him 6.5 million rand.
The state capture commission heard this week that the name “Zweli Mkhize” appeared as a reference for one of those payments.
Sodi told the commission that Mkhize was the ANC’s general treasurer at the time of payment and that the money was specifically for the party, News24 reported.
Mkhize clarified on Friday that during his time as general treasurer, Sodi, either directly or indirectly, only made four donations to the ANC, two in 2014 and one in 2015 and one in 2016.
These were R3 million in February 2014, R3.5 million in April 2014, R1.5 million in September 2015 and R150,000 in January 2016.
READ | 7 defendants in Free State asbestos case get bail
Mkhize said that previous payments were directly deposited into official ANC bank accounts.
“I wish to state categorically that I have never received funds from Sodi, either personally or through third parties for my personal benefit.
“I can confirm that during my tenure as general treasurer of the ANC, Sodi, like many other businessmen, companies and organizations, made donations to the ANC.
“In fact, when I took over as [treasurer-general], Sodi’s contacts were available in the ANC donor database as one of the people who had previously donated to the ANC.
Database
“This database was compiled and maintained by the finance office through various public fundraising events held by the ANC. This is how we communicate with individuals or businesses and invite them to our events.”
Mkhize said that he could therefore only assume that the donor used his name as a reference “given my capacity at the time as general treasurer.”
“Also, I want to emphasize that all of the donations we received were voluntary, never transactional or tied to obtaining government employment.”
He said that in addition to naming Sodi as a donor, he had no personal, professional or business relationship with him.
“I have never been involved in any of his businesses nor have I interacted with him on a personal level,” he said.
In cases where illegality and irregularities have been found, law enforcement agencies should investigate, he added.
“The matters relating to Mr. Sodi and his companies are now before the courts. Therefore, this legal process must be allowed to run its course without being clouded by the mischief and misinformation that carry people’s names, where not there is evidence, “he said. .
“I, for my part, seriously object to the insinuations, irresponsible and false comments made by some that I personally received money from Mr. Sodi.
“This offensive sensationalism can only be a sideshow to tarnish my name and in no way adds value to the work that law enforcement is doing.”
– Compiled by Kerushun Pillay and Jenna Verster
