Johannesburg businessman, Cheslyn Mostert, is allegedly "bankrolling“ ANC branches in the Western Cape to whip up votes for incumbent President Cyril Ramaphosa to secure a second term.
This comes as reports indicate that more than 80% of the branches in the province have thrown their weight behind Ramaphosa.
Weekend Argus learnt that businessman Mostert allegedly bankrolled a number of ANC branches, zooming in on those in the Overberg, Southern Cape, Boland and Karoo regions.
“Cheslyn is bankrolling the rural regions to nominate Ramaphosa for the top spot at the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC,” a reliable source said, showing Weekend Argus a string of branches whose meetings had selected Ramaphosa a preferred candidate.
“Last week in the Karoo region he only had three delegates and asked the regional secretary to nominate Ramaphosa ... In the metro he has targeted a few branches which he wants to lure with his money,” the source said.
Mostert is a major player in Ramaphosa’s inner circle and was said to be a kingmaker behind the president’s narrow victory in 2017.
Three years ago, during an investigation by suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, Mostert’s role as manager of the CR17 campaign surfaced. Mostert was asked to run the campaign because he had influence with ANC people in various provinces.
He was believed to be a major spender of the campaign’s slush fund according to leaked bank statements link to Ramaphosa’s bid for the country’s top job in 2017.
The bank statements were part of Mkhwebane’s investigation report into the donations, totalling more than R400-million, well exceeding the campaign’s budget.
Weekend Argus was informed that Mostert received the money from Bejani Chauke who is the president’s special advisor. Mostert is an avid hunter and is believed to be a frequent visitor at Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.
“Chauke would ensure the money gets paid into the bank account of one of Cheslyn’s businesses,” another insider said, adding that “it’s all just to garner support for Cyril”.
However, Chauke has dismissed the allegations.
"It’s such a crazy allegation ... if you know Cheslyn you’ll know he (has) a lot of money ... I’m just a normal government employee ... it’s like saying I’m bankrolling Elon Musk ... It doesn’t make sense and it’s baseless,“ Chauke told Weekend Argus.
At least six of the 12 branches in the Karoo region that held their meetings, told Weekend Argus that they had been approached by Mostert.
Mostert is said to also be garnering support for incumbent treasurer-general, Paul Mashatile for deputy president under Ramaphosa’s slate.
Another source told the paper on Friday that Mostert was known for using his support to advance his own interests at conference.
“He builds up support and then waits until the conference ... he then, on the eve of the conference, inform contesters that he has a pool of support,” the source said.
“He then wait to see who the highest bidder is and give them his pool of support ... he moves silently ... he (has) his cards open.”
Mostert who is also the owner of a tourism company Maverick Safaris, said the allegations were untrue.
“It’s rumour mongering, I’m a member of ward 67 in Johannesburg and my mission is to build the ANC ... these allegations are false,” Mostert said.
Mostert who used to work in the office of former ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe, apparently also sends delegates messages.
“Send your (candidate) names we will carry it (to conference),” is a message Mostert reportedly sends via broadcast message to multiple ANC delegates.
He previously helped coordinate the ANC’s economic transformation committee and helped design the party’s black economic empowerment policies.
ANC Western Cape’s spokesperson Sifiso Mtsweni said: “We are not aware of that ... the ANC NEC through the electoral committee, chaired by former president (Kgalema) Motlanthe has issued guidelines around the nomination process towards the national conference.”
“In the main, the guidelines discourages the use of money to influence branches to vote in a particular way ... If such instances exist, we will look into them in such a manner so as to ensure that such is discouraged.
“The process of nominating leaders for the 55th national conference requires everybody at all levels to allow branches and ordinary members of the ANC to exercise their democratic right to elect leaders of their choosing without undue influence ... This is part of the renewal of the ANC which we are 100% committed to as a province.”
Weekend Argus