ANC distances itself from cash-in-transit heist accused

The African National Congress has taken the unusual step of castigating a former employee in public.

Velile Errol Present was arrested in July‚ together with three co-accused‚ all of whom are applying for bail ahead of their trial on charges of armed robbery and possession of hijacked motor vehicles. On Friday‚ he told the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court he lived on an estate in Grobler Park‚ Roodepoort‚ and was paying R9‚500 for rent.

Present was the Dobsonville ANC branch secretary in Soweto and a national ANC organiser until the party removed him from his position at Luthuli House after he was arrested. He said reports that he was volunteering in the ANC‚ were a “joke” .

“I’d say that it’s a joke that I would volunteer for 14 years.”

In a statement this week‚ the party’s national spokesperson Pule Mabe said the ANC wished to reiterate that “Velile Present is no longer in the employ of the organisation as he was summarily dismissed‚ following alleged criminality.”

“We further need to categorically state that it is immaterial whether he was a volunteer or employed permanently. Present is alleged to have committed serious crimes during the very employ he refers to in his affidavit‚ culminating in his immediate dismissal.

“Should he be aggrieved on the processes followed‚ Present is welcome to approach any institution that will afford him satisfactory recourse.

“The African National Congress once again rejects Present’s warped imagination that he is still employed by the organisation.”

The four accused have denied wrongdoing. The bail application will continue on September 11.