ANC STATEMENT ON ALLEGATIONS AGAINST LIMPOPO PTT

The African National Congress has investigated the claim that was in the media that the newly established ANC Provincial Task Team of Limpopo, "has decided  to take over the responsibility of government procurement and appointments". We have been assured by the PTT that such a decision has not been taken nor such intention communicated to anybody by the PTT.

We are satisfied with the explanation we were given by the PTT and we express our disappointment at those who consciously spread malicious lies meant to discredit the PTT. It is the view of the ANC that government is the only duly authorized body that can engage in contractual transactions that include procurement and employment of public servants as outlined in relevant prescripts. It therefore cannot be true that any ANC office, including Fran's Mohlala in Limpopo, has taken over the responsibility for issuing out tenders and employment of any  one in government. We dismiss this with the contempt it deserves.

The role of the PTT, which it has to carry out in conjunction with ANC NEC Deployees, is to ensure that the ANC remains the accounting centre in term of policy implementation for the provincial government and to rebuild ANC structures in preparation for a provincial conference of the ANC in Limpopo within 9 months. We want to re-assure the public that the ANC at all levels understands its role when it comes to governance in relation to its representatives in government.

The meeting between the PTT and the Provincial government was amongst others meant to ensure transparency by the ANC led government on issues of procurement so as to satisfy all and sundry in that province that procurement does not benefit few people in the province.

Secondly, the meeting also agreed that any changes with regard to political deployees of ANC members as MPLs, MECs, Mayors, Councillors and other political deployments should be done in adherence to the ANC deployment policies and not on factional lines. The ANC will no be apologetic in exercising political oversight over those deployed in government and legislatures at all levels which include local,  provincial and national.

Statement issued by Jackson Mthembu, ANC national spokesperson, April 7 2013

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