MEC responsible for Community Safety, Roads and Transport, Jabu Mbalula, was on Thursday sworn-in as acting Premier of the Free State province. Picture: Free State Government/X
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula's brother, Jabu Mbalula, was sworn-in as the province's acting Premier, replacing the divisive Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae.
Mbalula, who is the MEC for Roads, Transport, and Community Safety, will take over as Letsoha-Mathae decided to take leave.
The appointment letter indicated that Mbalula would act until December 15.
This was revealed in an internal memo that the corruption-accused Letsoha-Mathae sent to her cabinet this week.
The African National Congress (ANC) discussed possible disciplinary action against the premier last month in response to accusations of corruption.
Letsoha-Mathae and her husband, Mangaung Council Speaker Lawrence Mathae, were accused by a well-known Free State businessman of accepting two cars as gifts from him.
This comes after WhatsApp conversations claiming that the pair had taken bribes in the shape of a BMW 7 Series and a Mercedes-Benz V300d went viral.
The claims surfaced after local businessman Patrick Phuti's road contract was revoked by the Department of Community Safety, Roads, and Transport.
According to the evidence of payment that has been making the rounds among political groups, Phuti allegedly paid for Letsoha-Mathae's supporters' transportation expenses to the ANC Women's League (ANCWL) National Conference, which was held at Nasrec in July 2023, in addition to the purchase of two vehicles.
Additionally, according to the invoices, Phuti allegedly paid R400,000 for another event associated with the Department of Public Works, Roads, and Transport's 2023 project launch, where Letsoha-Mathae was the MEC.
She was also accused of being a major contributor to the termination of more than 1,300 contract employees last month.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has demanded Letsoha-Mathae's resignation, claiming that her conduct is impeding the province's development and sound government.
Letsoha-Mathae has also been charged with corruption by the EFF and ActionSA after it was claimed that she and her family profited financially from a shady affiliation with Phuti.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics
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