Rustenburg – The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has paid R100 000 towards the house of whistle-blower and anti-corruption activist Moss Phakoe, his family said on Wednesday.
“The money has been paid, and an arrangement for a monthly instalment had been made,” said Tlholo “Papiki” Phakoe, Moss Phakoe’s son.
EFF leader Julius Malema promised during the party’s second anniversary rally in Rustenburg on July 25, to pay off the house of slain Rustenburg councillor Moss Phakoe.
At the time, Malema said: “The first R100 000 will be paid on Monday, and [an] arrangement will be made with the bank for monthly instalments. We are rescuing the house, and also we will approach the best legal minds around to see what recourse do we have in reopening the case.”
Malema made the commitment to Phakoe’s family during his visit to Rustenburg Noord. He laid a wreath at the spot where Phakoe was gunned down in 2009.
Malema said the bank had indicated to the family that the house would be attached at the end of this month.
“We want to preserve the legacy of Bra Moss. We cannot let [or allow] the house to go,” he said at the time.
Phakoe was gunned downed at his home in Rustenburg Noord in March 14, 2009, after he had handed over a dossier detailing corruption in the Rustenburg municipality to high-ranking ANC officials, including secretary general Gwede Mantashe and President Jacob Zuma.
Phakoe also handed the dossier to former co-operative governance minister Sicelo Shiceka.
Former Rustenburg mayor, Matthew Wolmarans and his bodyguard, Enoch Matshaba, were convicted and sentenced for Phakoe’s murder.
Wolmarans was jailed for 20 years, and Matshaba was sentenced to life in prison in July 2012.
In June 2014, the North West High Court set aside the conviction and sentences of Wolmarans and Matshaba for Phakoe’s murder.
The two convicted men appealed their sentence on the basis of new evidence.
ANA