Johannesburg - The assets of the ANC are on the verge of being auctioned while the man alleged to be the main person in the 2019 ANC elections campaign feigns ignorance and threatens to sue Ezulwini Investments, the company that this week brought a writ of execution dated May 26 for the sheriff to authorise the seizure of assets of the governing party.
The Star has been reliably informed that ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula was directly involved in incurring the R102 million debt that is likely to result in the attachment of belongings of the governing party.
The source said that Mbalula, at the time of this deal, was the head of the ANC elections campaign and would have been deeply involved in the procurement of services, although Paul Mashatile was treasurer-general at the time.
“Fikile Mbalula was involved from the start. His nephew is involved and was the contact person. He fired Lebogang Nkholise, used him as a scapegoat, and also tried to throw (Nhlanhla) Mabaso under the bus, who still works at ANC Finance Works,” the source said.
This comes after the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, issued a devastating writ of execution allowing the sheriff of the court to attach goods belonging to the ANC, and to sell them in order to pay an amount of R102m to Ezulwini Investments.
Ezulwini Investments supplied the party with campaign material for the 2019 general elections, but the company was never paid until it sought the court’s intervention to recoup the money.
The Star has seen a document on the ANC company letterhead that has been circulated widely on social media and bears Mbalula’s signature.
The document dated April 2, 2019, is addressed to Mashatile, with Bongani Mahlalela and Nhlanhla Mabaso copied in the letter for the signing of election money. The letter signed by then-head of elections Mbalula reads: “This communiqué serves to inform the finance department that comrade Lebogang Nkholise has been assigned the signatory for bookings and money for the duration of the elections campaign.”
In another letter dated April 9, 2019, Mbalula requests an amount of R87m for outstanding PVC banners from Mashatile, with the said letter accompanied by an invoice from Ezulwini Investments. This is the same company seeking R102m in unpaid invoices from the ANC.
However, on Wednesday, during an ANC national working committee (NWC) feedback press briefing, Mbalula denied ever contracting Ezulwini Investments for the 2019 elections campaign.
He said the party intended to open a criminal case to challenge this application. Mbalula was speaking during a media briefing after the NWC’s visit to the North West last weekend.
“We have not received this writ attachment that is circulating. You can only comment on something you have received. Should we receive it, we will challenge that.”
He said the party had no recollection of signing an agreement or tender worth R102m with the company.
Yesterday, Mbalula insisted to The Star that he did not know about Ezulwini Investments. “It is absurd that you ask me about it,” he said.
The Star