Party fails to act against chief whip, whose son was awarded Parly tender
The ANC’s integrity commission has turned a blind eye to the party’s Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina.
Majodina said she would voluntarily subject herself to the commission after her son Mkhonto Wesizwe Majodina was exposed for secretly getting a tender to procure thermometers for Parliament’s ANC constituency offices, an office that receives money from Parliament in order to do its work. Majodina’s son also did work as a graphic designer at Parliament.
The Star is informed that although a complaint against Majodina was laid with the public protector, the ANC has taken no action against its chief whip, and has not sought an explanation from her.
Majodina jr is the sole director of King Mzimshe Trading. The previous sole director of the was Majodina’s daughter Lungiswa Majodina, with a change in directorship on January 16, 2020.
Majodina suspended ANC MP Mervin Dirks after he wrote to the standing committee on public accounts seeking an explanation from President Cyril Ramaphosa after a leaked audio in which Ramaphosa said he was aware that public funds were used for ANC activity but was willing to fall on his sword, rather than divulge that information. Dirks also reported Majodina and her son to the protector.
In the ANC, Majodina is said to be “safe” because of protection from Rama- phosa’s faction in the party.
Yesterday, ATM president Vuyo Zungula described Majodina as a hypocrite who seemed to be trying to cover up for the president at the cost of taxpayers.
“Pemmy is fighting against the Constitution. She intimidated an MP for try- ing to blow the whistle,” Zungula said.
Zungula said while he did not want to get into ANC politics, it was ironic that the party did not suspend Majodina after it was discovered that her son had received the tender.
Civil society activist group, Right- 2Know, said it was concerned by the double standards that were being set by the governing party in Parliament.
Right2Know spokesperson Thami Nkosi said the ANC should be ashamed of seemingly defending corruption by suspending Dirks.
“The way it is, it’s almost like the ANC has selective morality … It’s almost like they are saying you can blow the whistle on everybody else, but do not speak about us,“ Nkosi said.
Nkosi said it was shocking that the president would not want to disclose information about corruption that he is aware of. “He was talking about hol- lowing out the mess at the State Security Agency, yet at the same time he says he knows the people who stole funds from the SSA but will not reveal them.”
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said it was disturbing that the ANC would seem to be punishing someone for raising issues on corruption. “CR is being protected from accounting for that statement,” Mathekga said.
He added that the ANC had to account for corruption, the fact that Majodina’s son had benefited from Parliament’s money.
Nomfanelo Kota, spokesperson for the ANC in Parliament, said the party was not willing to comment on Dirks’ situation.
It would also not comment on why Majodina was not suspended.
Majodina was still not available for comment at the time of publication.