'I don't have money' for vote buying, says ANC's Oscar Mabuyane

Eastern Cape chairperson seeking re-election says those with knowledge of vote buying must report it to authorities

06 May 2022 - 15:25
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Convenor Oscar Mabuyane and NEC member Aaron Motsoaledi.
Convenor Oscar Mabuyane and NEC member Aaron Motsoaledi.
Image: MICHAEL PINYANA

“I don’t have money [for vote buying],” said Eastern Cape ANC chairperson hopeful Oscar Mabuyane in response to allegations of vote buying before this weekend's provincial conference.

Babalo Madikizela — who is vying for the chairmanship of the province against Mabuyane — allegedly told delegates supporting him to “take the money but vote with principle”.

“It's difficult for me to discuss issues of money. I don’t have money. I have never been in the ANC for money. I am not exposed to money, so people who have money can speak better on the money politics and exchanging of money,” said Mabuyane.

“I don’t think we must create a narrative that seeks to create a spin about this conference.  In the 2017 conference some said we are winning, we have a 300 margin, but when the conference was about to start there was no longer a margin.

“A new narrative had to be created about ghosts [delegates] because people have sustained a wrong narrative over a long time, misleading society. Wait for the conference to sit.”

While Mabuyane did not mention Madikizela by name, he said dispensing money to delegates with the intention of influencing conference outcomes was misconduct and appealed to those with such information to come forward and report it to the appropriate authorities.

“Whoever has spoken about it, he better report it formally so that it is thoroughly investigated and dealt with.

Mabuyane was speaking at a media briefing in East London, where the elective conference is set to officially resume on Saturday. He also took a swipe at party leaders “already speaking with the authority” of elected leaders.

“We are not coming into an ANC meeting as if we are going to a battlefield. The ANC is a democratic organisation. You only assume responsibility when you have been elected to lead.

“Sometimes we speak as if we are speaking in different tongues because we don't understand the responsibility you assume once you are elected and you are expected to rise above pressures of expediency.

“We must not send mixed messages in public. We know this conference has drawn a lot of national interest — it's a sort of a precursor to the national conference. Others are seeing a national conference in the provincial conference, so already people are thinking about December.”

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