Limpopo - The DA in Limpopo has called on human settlements MEC Clifford Motsepe to resign over allegations that he tried to bribe a journalist.
“MEC Motsepe seems willing to bribe his way out of bad publicity for RDP tenders awarded to Julius Malema’s allies,” said DA provincial leader Jacques Smalle.
The Limpopo correspondent for City Press, Sipho Masondo, alleges that Motsepe offered him a “wad of cash” last week.
The two reportedly met at Motsepe’s house.
At the centre of the damaging allegations appears to be a report by The Star suggesting that Malema’s confidants benefited from the R900 million housing contracts awarded by Motsepe’s department.
Motsepe has publicly said he is friends with Malema, and that only death would part them.
Among those who won lucrative contracts were Selbie Manthata and his wife Helen Moreroa. The two and Malema face charges including racketeering, money laundering and fraud over the R52m contract awarded to the On-Point Engineering company by the provincial roads and transport department. The Hawks are investigating the tender.
Motsepe reportedly denied offering Masondo cash. “I am a professional and I wouldn’t do that,” City Press quoted him as saying, adding the meeting had been initiated by Masondo.
Motsepe said the journalist first phoned him to say he had written a “very nice” article about him, after Motsepe had called a media briefing to deny a report in The Star.
Masondo admits he called Motsepe but denies saying his article on City Press’s website was “very nice”.
Motsepe could not be reached for comment.
The Star