Johannesburg - Pule Mabe’s hopes to become the next leader of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) could be dashed.
The ANC on Monday confirmed that Mabe was among the ANC senior leaders who were being investigated by its integrity committee.
Mabe currently faces charges ranging from theft to fraud and money laundering for allegedly siphoning millions of rand from the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa).
His miseries were compounded on Friday when the NPA seized assets worth R2.2 million belonging to him and his two co-accused, former Sassa spokesman Paseka Cornelius Letsatsi and Surprise Kabedi Ramosa, reportedly his business partner.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said on Monday Mabe was among its leaders listed for investigation in the party’s integrity committee preliminary report submitted to the national executive committee (NEC) at the weekend.
“There are many cases that are being handled now, including (that of) Pule Mabe,” Mantashe said, responding to a media question during a post-NEC briefing in Joburg.
The ANC in December 2012 established the integrity committee to deal with its wayward members and public officials involved in serious charges, including corruption, fraud and murder. The committee has the powers to suspend or dismiss members without waiting for the conclusion of the protracted legal process.
The committee’s chairman, ANC stalwart Andrew Mlangeni, would not be drawn into Mabe’s case when asked to comment on Monday. He referred enquires to Luthuli House.
The ANCYL in Gauteng recently declared Mabe as its preferred candidate for the president of the league, insisting that the principle of innocent until proved guilty should also apply to him. It could now be forced to choose between either the league’s national task team co-ordinator Magasela Mzobe or former deputy chairman Ronald Lamola, should Mabe be sanctioned.
Meanwhile, Mantashe denied that the race for the ANCYL leadership has been marred by incidents of violence, intimidation alleged vote rigging in branches and lack of funding. This comes as the party confirmed the postponement of the ANC Youth League national conference, which was scheduled between Thursday and Friday in Gauteng.
It was reported on Monday that four provinces - Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape - were struggling to hold their provincial conferences.
The Star