By 
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Free State has requested the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (Hawks) in the Free State to investigate allegations of corruption against the African National Congress (ANC) leadership in the Fezile Dabi Region.
According to the DA Leader in the Free State Dr Roy Jankielsohn, the DA received documents indicating that a contractor in Mafube, who is currently appointed to deliver infrastructure, was coerced to pay R400 000 into the account of a company called SKYBUILD, in order to retain his contract with the municipality.
“He was informed that these funds were meant to fund the ANC but, according to his letter, went to the pockets of ANC-connected individuals. The contractor alleges that he met with the ANC leaders of the Fezile Dabi Region, the ANC Chief Whip in Mafube and the director of SKYBUILD, who is the husband of the Ngwathe Municipality Mayor and Fezile Dabi ANC Chairperson, Victoria De Beer-Nthombeni.
Besides the serious allegations of corruption against ANC leaders, the R400 000 paid into the SKYBUILD account allegedly for the ANC implies that SKYBUILD could be a front company for the ANC to bypass the Political Party Funding Act, which forces political parties to disclose all funding above R100 000 to the IEC,” said Jankielsohn.
“The DA has requested the Hawks to investigate possible illegal activities, including extortion, corruption, theft of state funds, nepotism, and money laundering.
Mafube Municipality is one of the most dysfunctional in the Free State, where residents face human rights abuses relating to the inability of the municipality to deliver many of the most basic services, such as water and sanitation.
Extorting funds from contractors employed to deliver services is a crime against humanity. The DA will continue to expose and report any allegations of corruption to law enforcement agencies for investigation because corruption makes poor people poorer,” he concluded.
Mafube Local Municipality is yet to respond to our inquiry regarding the allegations.
