Johannesburg – Worldwide Relations Minister Ronald Lamola and the African Nationwide Congress (ANC) Secretary Common Fikile Mbalula have denied vote-buying claims made towards them by senior celebration member Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
She lately made the damning remarks on the “African Renaissance Podcast” hosted by Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.
Requested about why she misplaced the ANC management contest, Dr. Dlamini-Zuma blamed her loss on vote-buying and named Lamola and Mbalula as people who participated within the anomaly.
Dr. Dlamini-Zuma additionally claimed that half a billion rand was present in somebody’s room on the primary morning of the ANC convention.
She stated: “Mbalula was shelling out cash overtly” on the clinic for him to win the ANC SG place and for Cyril Ramaphosa to win the celebration presidency.
“Cash was used … everyone knows… we noticed it,” stated Dr. Dlamini-Zuma, including, “I’m not revealing something… it was within the media”.
She additionally stated there was a recording of Lamola talking concerning the cash that was to be distributed amongst delegates.
Each Lamola and Mbalula have rejected the claims as false.
In an open letter posted on X, Minister Lamola stated: “These feedback search to affiliate my identify with alleged vote-buying actions through the ANC’s 54th Nationwide Convention in 2017.
“Let me be unequivocal: I categorically deny any involvement in vote-buying, whether or not via cellphone calls, voice notes, or every other medium, throughout that convention or at every other time.
“Moreover, my voice and method of speech are well-known to many comrades, and any fair-minded individual can clearly discern that the voice in query isn’t mine.
“I’m approaching you in a comradely method to retract the assertion, as it will ache me to take authorized motion towards an ANC veteran with distinguished battle credentials.”
ANC SG Mbalula stated Dr. Dlamini-Zuma’s remarks have “created a wound so deep, and it’s for that motive that I can’t permit them to face unanswered”.
Mbalula denied the vote-buying allegation, saying: “I didn’t distribute cash to delegates on the facility known as the clinic or wherever else to acquire my very own election or the election of every other comrade on the fifty fifth Nationwide Convention or the 54th Nationwide Convention or at any convention, council or gathering of the African Nationwide Congress. Nothing of the kind was finished on my own”.
He added: “I reject the allegation and reject the proposition that the management of this Motion was procured with cash I distributed.”
ANC SG Mbalula stated he was consulting his attorneys to “search readability from Cde Dlamini-Zuma on the very damaging and painful allegations towards my individual”.
