Masina ready to fight corruption and fraud

Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina is considering setting up an independent anti-corruption body to fight the growing perception that the ANC is a corrupt party.

Johannesburg - The growing perception that the ANC is a corrupt party has forced Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina to consider setting up an independent anti-corruption body in his municipality.

Masina - the lone metro mayor from the ANC in Gauteng - was delivering his acceptance speech at the Ekurhuleni metro council meeting.

He was elected mayor after securing the support of four opposition parties last week.

Despite not accepting that the Nkandla debacle and the alleged state capture by the Guptas might have contributed to the poor electoral outcome for his party - particularly in Gauteng metros - Masina has placed fighting corruption high on the list of priorities.

“To elevate the issue of corruption, let me make it clear that we will be pursuing the idea of appointing a commissioner and/or an authority that will be tasked with the responsibility to wipe out corruption in the metro,” he said.

“We are serious about running a clean government and, therefore, this matter is a critical priority. We envisage being the most vigilant anti-fraud and corruption municipality in the land.

“Each time fraud and corruption allegations emerge, we want to be well equipped to kill them immediately.”

ANC councillors bought into the idea. Councillor Mziyanda Mketsu made a passionate appeal to his party and the mayor not to pay lip-service to the fight against corruption.

“Executive mayor, there must be no negotiation in fighting corruption and fraud. There is a growing perception that the ANC-led government is paying lip-service in fighting corruption.

“To prove this otherwise, there must be much more political will and commitment to fight this scourge,” said Mketsu.

“Corruption steals and deprives our people of much-needed quality services. Worse, if not decisively attended to, it will undermine the integrity of the ANC-led government,” he added.

Mketsu said the ANC in Ekurhuleni should give quarterly reports informing the public about all efforts made to root out corruption.

However, the DA’s Ghaleb Cachalia cast doubt on the proposal to establish a commission to fight corruption.

Cachalia said he had laid a complaint of tender fraud worth R7.2 billion against the outgoing city manager, Khaya Ngema, but “nothing was done about it”. He also labelled Masina a Jacob Zuma crony.

“Make no mistake, everyone else voted for corruption in this municipality. Corruption at the behest of President Zuma and his personal deployee, the honourable Masina, who now blames his fellow ANC members for not doing enough and blames the voters for voting in what he refers to as oppressors’.

“And he blames the media for conspiring against the poor ANC,” he added.

Cachalia also took a swipe at ANC councillors, claiming they were well aware that only pro-Zuma councillors would be benefiting, saying: “They too will be sidelined, as the master plan - of his master - is rolled out by this mayor here in Ekurhuleni.”

Masina said Cachalia’s comments were a “comedy show”.

Later, while addressing the media, Masina said they were still seeking legal opinion on the composition of an anti-corruption body. He added that there were no existing claims of corruption against any officials, including the outgoing city manager.

baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za

The Star