Deputy president David Mabuza says he is not the cabinet member said to be involved in the alleged large-scale corruption and pure criminality at Eskom power stations.
Those who are trying to link him to the allegations are merely using the problems at Eskom as a political football.
Mabuza has denied allegations by DA leader John Steenhuisen that he was the senior cabinet member allegedly involved in corruption at Eskom.
Mabuza issued a statement on Saturday, saying he had continuously pleaded with Steenhuisen to report him to the police if he had such evidence. He says those calls have amounted to nothing. Instead, Mabuza charged that Steenhuisen has used the allegations to gain popularity and score cheap political points.
Steenhuisen claimed that Mabuza was the senior person that former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter was referring to when he said a senior politician was involved in the contracts, hit squads and all sorts of crimes at Eskom.
In an interview, De Ruyter told eNCA’s Annika Larsen that “there was one particular high-level politician involved in this” and that he had told a cabinet minister about it.
“Mr Steenhuisen's accusations against me are baseless and unfounded. Despite my repeated calls for him to do the right thing and report any alleged criminal activity to the appropriate authorities, he has chosen to spread false information in a desperate attempt to stay relevant,” said Mabuza. “For him to resort to such sleazy tactics just to score cheap political points is disgraceful and undermines the stature of honourable parliamentarians. I categorically deny any involvement in criminal activity related to Eskom or any other entity.”
Steenhuisen on Friday claimed that the ANC was protecting Mabuza by rejecting the establishment of an ad hoc committee to investigate corruption and criminal networks at Eskom.
“We all know who this person being referred to is. It’s Mr DD Mabuza and we all know how connected he is within the ANC, and we all know how terrified the ANC is of him [De Ruyter] releasing this information. That is the reality here today,” said Steenhuisen ending a debate in which ANC MPs rejected his request for an ad hoc committee.
“The ANC is going to wait until he is safely in Russia like it waited with the Guptas to be in Dubai and Mr Agrizzi to be in Italy before this parliament slowly gets off and does anything,” Steenhuisen said.
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Steenhuisen's accusations are baseless and unfounded, says David Mabuza
Former deputy president says he has pleaded with the DA leader to charge him if he has evidence linking him to corruption
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
Deputy president David Mabuza says he is not the cabinet member said to be involved in the alleged large-scale corruption and pure criminality at Eskom power stations.
Those who are trying to link him to the allegations are merely using the problems at Eskom as a political football.
Mabuza has denied allegations by DA leader John Steenhuisen that he was the senior cabinet member allegedly involved in corruption at Eskom.
Mabuza issued a statement on Saturday, saying he had continuously pleaded with Steenhuisen to report him to the police if he had such evidence. He says those calls have amounted to nothing. Instead, Mabuza charged that Steenhuisen has used the allegations to gain popularity and score cheap political points.
Steenhuisen claimed that Mabuza was the senior person that former Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter was referring to when he said a senior politician was involved in the contracts, hit squads and all sorts of crimes at Eskom.
In an interview, De Ruyter told eNCA’s Annika Larsen that “there was one particular high-level politician involved in this” and that he had told a cabinet minister about it.
“Mr Steenhuisen's accusations against me are baseless and unfounded. Despite my repeated calls for him to do the right thing and report any alleged criminal activity to the appropriate authorities, he has chosen to spread false information in a desperate attempt to stay relevant,” said Mabuza. “For him to resort to such sleazy tactics just to score cheap political points is disgraceful and undermines the stature of honourable parliamentarians. I categorically deny any involvement in criminal activity related to Eskom or any other entity.”
Steenhuisen on Friday claimed that the ANC was protecting Mabuza by rejecting the establishment of an ad hoc committee to investigate corruption and criminal networks at Eskom.
“We all know who this person being referred to is. It’s Mr DD Mabuza and we all know how connected he is within the ANC, and we all know how terrified the ANC is of him [De Ruyter] releasing this information. That is the reality here today,” said Steenhuisen ending a debate in which ANC MPs rejected his request for an ad hoc committee.
“The ANC is going to wait until he is safely in Russia like it waited with the Guptas to be in Dubai and Mr Agrizzi to be in Italy before this parliament slowly gets off and does anything,” Steenhuisen said.
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WATCH | DD Mabuza is the senior politician involved in Eskom corruption: DA's Steenhuisen
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