MK Party alleges State Capture 2.0 in new RAF board appointments

Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) says it is seeking legal advice over what it describes as the unlawful appointment of non-executive directors to the boards of various public entities under the Department of Transport.

The party claims the move mirrors previous controversial appointments to SETA boards, which it says led to the removal of former Minister of Higher Education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane.

The MK Party accuses Transport Minister Barbara Creecy of recycling ANC loyalists and political allies into cushy board positions following the ANC’s electoral losses in the May 2024 general election.

It pointed to the recent appointment of individuals such as Kenneth Brown, Richard Dyantyi, and Neeshan Balton to the interim board of the Road Accident Fund (RAF) as proof of a political reward system at play.

“These appointments advance the very agenda we have consistently warned against,” said MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.

“The board is now overrun with individuals seemingly handpicked to return the RAF to the control of corrupt lawyers and exploitative medical aid schemes like Discovery, which openly pressured the Minister and her Deputy to remove Collins Letsoalo.”

The MK Party argues the appointments were not based on merit or compliance with the Companies Act, but rather on political favouritism and loyalty to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The party questioned the qualifications and motives behind the appointments of Brown, Dyantyi, and Balton, asking:

“What skills, experience or expertise do Kenneth Brown, Richard Dyantyi and Neeshan Balton bring, aside from being rewarded for attacking President Zuma and other black professionals?”

Ndhlela added: “We demand full transparency from the Minister regarding the process used to assess the suitability of the appointed candidates.

''What criteria were applied, and was this process in accordance with the Companies Act? Or were these appointments influenced by their favourite, deeply compromised Judge Zondo, the very same judge who advised the President on how board appointments should be made?”

He further accused Creecy of disregarding the findings of the State Capture Commission led by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, calling Zondo “nothing more than a political tool used by Mr Ramaphosa to target his opponents.” 

“The so-called ‘State Capture’ recommendations he issued have clearly been discarded by Ramaphosa himself and ignored entirely by his Ministers,'' he said. 

The party also criticised the composition of the new RAF Board, which it claims is “packed with Ramaphosa loyalists” and is aimed at reversing reforms introduced by former CEO Collins Letsoalo.

“This interim political board has one clear goal: eliminate Letsoalo and reverse the reforms he led,” Ndhlela said.

The MK Party condemned the reappointment of ANC-linked individuals who failed to return to Parliament, such as former Deputy Minister of Transport Lisa Mangcu, now on the SAA Board, and Richard Dyantyi, who it says led the “witch-hunt” against former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.

“The MK Party strongly condemns the abuse of SOEs and public entities, which are now being used as rewards to personal friends of Ministers,” said Ndhlela.

The party said it has submitted a parliamentary question demanding details on how the RAF Board members were identified and is calling for their appointments to be reversed.

“If the Minister fails to act, we will follow through with legal action in the coming weeks,” Ndhlela said. 

hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za 

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