Money was for tithes, not buying votes – Mashatile

Mashatile says at the time he attended a church service and during tithe offerings he handed money to his team to contribute as well.

Mashatile says at the time he attended a church service and during tithe offerings he handed money to his team to contribute as well.

Published Sep 27, 2021

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CAPE TOWN - ANC treasurer Paul Mashatile says the money he was filmed handing out to people at a church service was meant for his team.

The ANC has its eyes set on reclaiming all 38 wards in the Makhado Municipality in Limpopo. Currently, the ruling party’s official opposition, the DA, runs one ward while the ANC is in control of 37.

After the video was shared on social media, with people making reference to the fact that the ruling party has yet to pay its staff, Mashatile said there was no wrongdoing.

He said at the time he attended a church service and during tithe offerings he handed money to his team to contribute as well.

“It is not true that I was handing out money to the congregants. We attended a church service in Makhado and during the tithe offering I handed money to my team so that I'm not the only one contributing to the offering,” Mashatile said.

“This is something very common in churches where people share money. It was not an attempt to buy votes,” he added.

Mashatile held a campaign trail in Makhado over the weekend.

“We are putting in all efforts to win the ward back. The biggest challenge the community faces is water. There is an interruption to the supply of water.

“Our motto is ‘Let’s build better communities together’ so we are saying to the people that we acknowledge the problem of water and we are going to work with them to address this.

“We know there is a challenge of unemployment in many of the areas, but as we roll out infrastructure … whether it is by building dams or schools, we will target the employment of local people,” Mashatile said.

During a campaign trail in Mankweng outside Polokwane, Deputy President David Mabuza said the ANC must shape itself and deliver better services to communities. Issues which communities informed him of include sanitation, water and flooding in homes when it rains.

ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe, who was out and about in the Eastern Cape, said the ANC government must ensure that all South Africans gain access to quality healthcare to enjoy longer, healthier and more productive lives.

He emphasised that the party should also put in place stricter laws and power institutions to root out corruption as it undermines the government's ability to deliver quality services to the people.

Mantashe further called on ANC councillors to convene regular meetings with members of communities they serve, to consult on council plans and programmes as he said the ANC is the people’s movement.

ANC deputy-secretary general Jessie Duarte was on an election campaign trail in the Western Cape last week.

Duarte called on the ANC Youth League to do their part and bring the young people to vote.

Cape Times

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