IN A sudden change of heart, the provincial executive council of Cosatu in KwaZulu-Natal has resolved not to mobilise its members to support ANC leaders Mike Mabuyakhulu and Peggy Nkonyeni - who are facing charges of corruption
Initially, the ANC alliance partners assured their support for the two, turning up in their numbers in court.
Nkonyeni is the speaker of the provincial legislature and the ANC treasurer, while Mabuyakhulu is MEC for economic development and tourism as well as an ANC provincial executive member.
The two appeared in the Pietermaritzburg regional court two weeks ago, alongside former head of the health department, Ronald Green- Thompson.
They are accused of corruption relating to a R1 million "donation" paid by South American businessman Gaston Savoi to the ANC in 2007 in exchange for a R44million government tender.
Mabuyakhulu and Nkonyeni are each out on R100,000 bail, while Green-Thompson was released on R40,000 bail.
Normal tender processes were allegedly bypassed to award a tender to Savoi's company, Intaka, to supply water purification plants and oxygen to hospitals and clinics at inflated prices.
The other accused in the case, including former treasury boss Sipho Shabalala and Savoi, appeared in a different court and will join Nkonyeni, Mabuyakhulu and Green- Thompson in court again on January 20 next year. Cosatu resolved during their provincial executive meeting not to support the accused.
The union's secretary, Zet Luzipho, said: "As Cosatu, we reiterate our position on matters that relate to corruption, but such does not suggest we believe that the two comrades are not capable to lead in whatever area of deployment the ANC decides, including the state. Therefore, we will not be mobilising any of our members to support them ..."
Cosatu will not support ANC duo
IN A sudden change of heart, the provincial executive council of Cosatu in KwaZulu-Natal has resolved not to mobilise its members to support ANC leaders Mike Mabuyakhulu and Peggy Nkonyeni - who are facing charges of corruption
Initially, the ANC alliance partners assured their support for the two, turning up in their numbers in court.
Nkonyeni is the speaker of the provincial legislature and the ANC treasurer, while Mabuyakhulu is MEC for economic development and tourism as well as an ANC provincial executive member.
The two appeared in the Pietermaritzburg regional court two weeks ago, alongside former head of the health department, Ronald Green- Thompson.
They are accused of corruption relating to a R1 million "donation" paid by South American businessman Gaston Savoi to the ANC in 2007 in exchange for a R44million government tender.
Mabuyakhulu and Nkonyeni are each out on R100,000 bail, while Green-Thompson was released on R40,000 bail.
Normal tender processes were allegedly bypassed to award a tender to Savoi's company, Intaka, to supply water purification plants and oxygen to hospitals and clinics at inflated prices.
The other accused in the case, including former treasury boss Sipho Shabalala and Savoi, appeared in a different court and will join Nkonyeni, Mabuyakhulu and Green- Thompson in court again on January 20 next year. Cosatu resolved during their provincial executive meeting not to support the accused.
The union's secretary, Zet Luzipho, said: "As Cosatu, we reiterate our position on matters that relate to corruption, but such does not suggest we believe that the two comrades are not capable to lead in whatever area of deployment the ANC decides, including the state. Therefore, we will not be mobilising any of our members to support them ..."
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