Some have questioned whether the police raid that found ballot papers from the ANC Johannesburg elective conference was staged
ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has responded to criticism about why he involved the police in ANC internal matters after ballot papers used in the ANC Johannesburg elective conference were found in a house in Pretoria.
The ballot papers were found at the house belonging to the owner of the election agency, EMCA. The owner reportedly tried hiding the ballot papers when police pounced on her property on Sunday.
Was police raid staged?
The entire raid was caught on live television, prompting some to question whether it was staged. There were also senior ANC officials, such as Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni on site.
“ANC security went there following a tip and they found what they found,” said Mbalula.
“How would ANC security conduct their business in that house without the police, because those people today would have opened a case against the ANC [saying] that they have been abused. So, we opened a case because that is ANC property that we found there… And therefore, the police will do their job.”
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He said a fraud case had been opened at the Garsfontein police station.
“There is law in this country that needs to be followed, the police will probe this and we will give them the evidence that we have got and all of that and witnesses of this crime that is alleged to have happened.”
Election results not under scrutiny
Mbalula said for now the results of the regional conference are not under scrutiny until there is evidence of foul play.
“There are complaints that have been raised in particular with the election of the additional members,” he said.
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Mbalula said the SABC was at the site of the raid because they had received a tip-off about it.
“They get the leaks from the ANC because ANC people leak things,” he said.
ANC leadership race
There is a view that Mbalula has an interest in the regional conference because he would have preferred Dada Morero to emerge as the chairperson of the party in Joburg.
His interest allegedly relates to him gaining support from different regions for the ANC leadership race in 2027.
The current chairperson of the ANC in Johannesburg, Loyiso Masuku, is believed to be close to Paul Mashatile, who also wants to become president.
Masuku is also believed to be backed by the first deputy secretary-general of the ANC, Nomvula Mokonyane.
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