Michelle Pietersen
A NC Youth League president Julius Malema has had a charge of corruption laid against him. This follows revelations of a secret family trust that has allegedly operated as a depository for cash paid by business people in exchange for assistance from the influential politician to secure tenders and push political agendas.
Afrikaner rights group AfriForum lodged a charge of corruption against Malema at the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria yesterday. This was confirmed by a warrant officer at the station.
The political scandal erupted yesterday after a failed attempt by Malema to interdict City Press newspaper from publishing details about the Ratanang Family Trust. Judge Colin Lamont dismissed Malema’s urgent interdict application and declared that as Malema was a public person, intrusion into his private life was warranted.
The newspaper reported that deposits were made into the trust, named after Malema’s five-year-old son. Malema is the sole trustee. It was registered in the Office of the Master of the High Court in Pretoria on May 13, 2008, five weeks after he was elected president of the youth league.
His conspicuous spending, seemingly at odds with his income from the league, has attracted interest for some time.
The Sunday Independent this month reported on Malema’s plans to spend R16 million on a new home with a security bunker. Malema claimed in a media briefing that his finances were nobody’s business as he was not an elected politician.
City Press reported that an unnamed ANC businessman had told the newspaper he had deposited R200 000 into the trust’s bank account in return for a government tender that was awarded to him, and said he knew of at least 20 other business people who had done the same. The newspaper also reported that the trust owned a 3.5-hectare smallholding outside Polokwane, which was bought for R900 000 in cash in June last year.
It was also reported that many other payments were allegedly made to Malema in return for his help in securing government tenders and to drive political agendas.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said Malema would have to explain himself to the party.
“On the face of it, these are very serious allegations, especially the tender fraud. The question now is: is there truth in it, and how much truth? Julius will have to say if there is any truth or no truth,” said Jackson.
He added that the allegations levelled against Malema were “concerning to the ANC”.
“Any allegations by any one of us are hurting us. Corruption is something we take very seriously… We always say nobody is above the law.”
Mthembu said ANC leaders had not yet discussed the matter and that it was only “fair for Julius to explain himself” before action was taken.
“It’s still early days. We have to satisfy ourselves first. We have to speak to Julius. If any member is alleged to have done wrong, the first port of call will be that member. Leaders might decide thereafter for other institutions of government and the ANC to look into it,” he said.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said he had not seen the City Press report as he was in a rural area in the Eastern Cape.
When told of the charge against Malema, he said: “They must do their work, the ANC doesn’t have police, prosecutors and judges.”
He said internal anc processes would be followed in dealing with the allegations against Malema.
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