By Moloko Moloto
Julius Malema's ally continues to draw a salary of R35 000 a month for his position as a communications officer for a Limpopo municipality, despite not having reported for duty since June last year.
And Frans Moswane owes the Limpopo Economic Development Department R100 000 for payments mistakenly paid to him after he resigned from his position there.
Moswane, who was elected chairman of the ANC Youth League in Limpopo after a chaotic conference, was in 2007 appointed communications officer responsible for research at the Sekhukhune municipality.
At the time, he was regional secretary of the youth league in the Sekhukhune area.
Two sources, who asked that their names not be disclosed, told The Star that Moswane's conspicuous absence from work had caused ructions among his colleagues.
Some staff members have accused the executive mayor, David Magabe, and municipal manager Samson Makhunyane of turning a blind eye.
Magabe is also the ANC regional chairman, while Makhunyane is his deputy.
"Moswane is untouchable, and calling him to order will without any doubt jeopardise their political careers," said the source, who works for the municipality.
Said another source: "The only job Moswane does is to disband ANC Youth League branches. Other than that, we have not seen him doing anything."
Municipal spokesman Willie Mosoma confirmed that the matter was under investigation.
"We are very much aware that Moswane has not been reporting for duty as per the code of conduct, but pending the conclusion of our investigations, we are unable to communicate further on this matter," said Mosoma.
He said the municipality would also pay Moswane's salary for this month.
"We will continue paying the salary until we conclude our investigation. As for whether we will recoup the money, it will depend on the outcome of our investigation," Mosoma said.
Magabe denied that they were turning a blind eye and that they feared Moswane. "We don't fear people in the ANC," he said.
However, he referred the rest of the queries to ANC regional secretary Lenin Kgaphola, who was not available for comment.
In 2007, the Limpopo Economic Development Department still kept paying Moswane his R11 000 salary after he left the post. He received both the departmental and the municipal salaries for over a year.
Now, three years later, Moswane has still not repaid the department.
The department's spokesman, Joshua Kwapa, said the matter was being handled by the state attorney's office.
"We understand that last month Mr Moswane was issued with a summons. But at this point we are waiting for the processes to unfold," he said.
Moswane was elected youth league provincial leader at a highly divisive conference. He stood against Lehlogonolo Masoga, who fled the conference and later started a parallel youth league structure in the province.
Masoga dragged Malema and his leadership to court after the latter tried to institute disciplinary action against him. But the ANC convinced Masoga to drop his civil suit.
Neither Moswane nor ANCYL national spokeswoman Magdalene Moonsamy would comment. Moonsamy said it was not a youth league matter.
Meanwhile, Sapa reports that the ANCYL is pushing ahead with disciplinary proceedings against Masoga.
"They are desperate to eliminate me," Masoga said on Thursday.
He said he had received an sms from the ANCYL prosecutor in the case against him, Alec Moweni, telling him that he would have to appear before the committee on Friday.
Commenting on his abandoning a legal challenge to the charges brought against him by the ANCYL national leadership, he said: "The matter is now supposed to be in the hands of the ANC. Whatever we do, we have to go through the ANC."
He felt the league leadership was sidestepping the mother body by proceeding with the hearing.
"I have forwarded the information to (ANC secretary-general) Gwede Mantashe. I am waiting for the ANC. If the ANC says I should go to the hearing, I will go," he said.
Masoga said the April conference was unlawful and claimed that the new leadership was elected after Malema took over proceedings. Masoga then tried to reconvene the conference.
He was accused of disobeying an ANCYL national executive committee instruction not to reconvene a second elective conference. Disciplinary charges were brought against him, but he felt the process was flawed.
ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu on Thursday declined to comment on whether Masoga had been summoned to appear on Friday.