The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Free State Province has called on the Hawks to give attention to several other alleged scandalous deals in the province.
The party mentioned deals such as Estina Vrede Dairy, apple farm, housing, and roads constructions.
“The reality is that there are several other scandalous deals such as the Estina Dairy deal, apple farm deal, housing and roads construction deals etc in the province that require immediate attention of the Hawks,” said SACP in the Free State.
The statement of SACP follows the arrest of seven people last week in connection with R225 million asbestos deal in the Free State. Former MEC and ousted Mangaung Executive Mayor, Olly Mlamleli, is among those arrested.
“South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Free State Province welcomes the arrest of former MEC, current and former senior departmental administrators and businesspersons by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks). The arrested individuals are allegedly linked to the scandalous R225 million asbestos deal in the Free State,” says the Party’s Provincial Secretary, Bhekie Stofile.
He said that the SACP in the Free State still believes that this scandalous asbestos deal – as is the case with several other deals – is a product of a well machinated daylight robbery orchestrated by a well connected patronage network.
“Any misuse of public resources, including through corruption, disadvantages communities, especially the poor working-class families who are robbed of much needed development and services.
The SACP in the Free State maintains that those responsible for misappropriation of public resources by commission or omission must be held legally responsible and liable. In this regard, the SACP welcomes these latest arrests and urges the Hawks to work meticulously until successful finality of these matters,” he said.
Stofile said the revelations at the State Capture Commission, which the SACP in Free State follows keenly, give a glimpse of the depth to which public resources were mishandled with impunity over the years.
The SACP in the province appreciated the effort of individuals who voluntarily appear before the Zondo Commission to provide information helpful to the purpose of the State Capture Commission, without being unnecessarily evasive.
It said the decision of the President to allow the use or disclosure of evidence provided at the commission to law enforcement agencies is plausible and progressive. It also urged the Hawks to follow this avenue and access all information related to all scandalous deals in the province and move speedily with concurrent investigation.
Stofile said the SACP in the Free State supports all anti-corruption efforts aimed at decisively draining the swamp by successfully arresting and prosecuting those involved in any wrongdoing.
