The DA in KZN has asked the ANC to reign in Bheki Mtolo after it resurfaced that he tried to facilitate negotiations between eThekwini Municipality and Amadelangokubona Business Forum for the payment of R5 million for allegedly protecting the municipality’s assets and infrastructure during the July 2021 riots. Picture: Tumi Pakkies/African News Agency(ANA)
Durban — The ANC in KZN has come out guns blazing after allegations surfaced that its provincial secretary tried to secure a payment of R5 million for the Amadelangokubona Business Forum recently.
It is alleged that Mtolo admitted to trying to facilitate a R5m payment between the eThekwini Municipality and the forum, apparently for having “protected” the municipality’s assets and infrastructure during the July 2021 unrest.
These allegations were made by DA KZN chairperson Dean Macpherson on Wednesday.
“It is now confirmed that Mtolo facilitated a meeting between the forum and the municipality to resolve this so-called ‘payment’ owed to them. This is irregular and must be condemned,” Macpherson said.
He said that it had come to light that the money was allegedly “owed” to the forum because it had foiled an elaborate plot to bomb the Durban City Hall, reservoirs and transport infrastructure.
Macpherson said this was questionable as there had been no intelligence provided to prove that any plot existed, and if it did, the State Security Agency should immediately arrest those involved.
If such a plot did exist, Macpherson said, why did the ANC and Mtolo not demand these alleged terrorists were brought to book?
Instead, Macpherson said, they were trying to appease a protection racket.
“Lastly, it is more likely that no such plot existed, and the business forum is leveraging its proximity to the ANC to demand money from the ratepayers of eThekwini, which has become all too common in the city,” he said.
“The ANC leadership can no longer sit back and allow Mtolo to continue with this damaging behaviour, which includes pacifying business forums and extortion rings. While some may find Mtolo’s outbursts and views entertaining, his utterances and meddling in government matters risk the very stability of our province, should those he serves not get their way,” Macpherson said.
Responding to the DA’s accusations, ANC KZN spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said that the ANC in KZN had no relationship with Amadelangokubona.
“The ANC in the province has no authority and capacity to dictate supply chain management processes, let alone the processing of this alleged R5m. Mtolo and many other leaders of the ANC are approached by emerging entrepreneurs and ordinary members of society in all corners of the province with requests, compliments and complaints,” Mndebele said.
Mndebele said that where necessary, the protocol of engagement dictated that such a matter be referred to the relevant sphere of government for processing.
“Mtolo met with a businessman with a special request for intervention about a matter concerning eThekwini Municipality. Like any other businessman, he was referred to the municipality. This is how this matter unfolded,” Mndebele said.
He said the ANC remained opposed “to the fraudulent issuing of contracts to undeserving entrepreneurs who have no capacity to perform. Extortion or any criminality in the awarding of contracts must land those involved in prison. This should apply to any grouping, including Amadelangokubona,” Mndebele said.
The IFP’s eThekwini leader, councillor Mdu Nkosi, said the fact that the ANC had the audacity to facilitate such negotiations was proof enough that it was driven by corruption.
Nkosi said that it could not allow Mtolo to dictate to the municipality about its procurement policies.
“There are security companies hired to provide safety and security to the City’s assets and infrastructure, not Amadelangokubona. We call on the ANC to discipline Mtolo because it is obvious he is interfering with the city’s affairs,” Nkosi said.
Political analyst Thabani Khumalo said that the KZN ANC, especially under the current crop of leaders, had failed to draw a line between it as a political organisation, and the government.
Khumalo said the allegations about Mtolo showed the failure of the ANC to call organisations such as Amadelangokubona to order when they caused chaos.
“The talks were supposed to be between the municipality and Amadelangokubona, and not the ANC. These kinds of actions give these organisations legitimacy to destabilise the municipality. These handlers will always have political muscle and hold everyone hostage because they know that these politicians are beholden to them,” Khumalo added.
University of KwaZulu-Natal lecturer and political analyst Lukhona Mnguni said some people had long suspected that Amadelangokubona carried potential political clout, and this incident might be the first public indicator of the extent of that clout and how it was organised.
“It is going to be an interesting case to watch, as we wait to hear what Mtolo’s defence is going to be when he responds to these calls by the DA.”
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