Reverend Frank Chikane on Tuesday made sensational claims that the South African ruling party, will steal the 2019 elections using funds laundered through state capture. He also said the African National Congress was creating a state of fear in the country. The ANC has had to resist calls for President Zuma to step down after allegations of state capture that pointed to the wealthy Gupta family as the main culprit. Calls for Zuma’s resignation have also come from within the party with one member, Makhosi Khoza facing disciplinary proceedings for calling for the President to step down.
Similar to apartheid
In a report by News24, Reverend Frank Chikane said, “Some of the billions of rands have been siphoned from this country and are laundered back and used as part of a war chest to make sure that the corrupt remain in power.” He added that, “They go from branch to branch of the African National Congress and buy branches in prepation for the December conference. They will use this to continue buying people and corrupting the systems to make sure the 2019 election is stolen.”
However, he had a stark warning for the brains behind the project: “To those running this project, the game is over!”
Chikane said he was pained by how his comrades had taken an about turn and become brazenly corrupt. He also expressed his worry over the state of fear some people were now living in as they were being threatened and went a step further to compare it to apartheid. His words were, “There are people who fear for their lives today, people being threatened. Some of us are beginning to live like we lived during apartheid. I am worried about who is following me.”
His words were lent credence by ANC Member of Parliament, Dr. Makhosi Khoza who revealed that she was facing death threats. Screen grabs showed threatening texts from a South African number and one particular message that read, “You have 21 days before you die.”
An assessment by the police confirmed that a security threat existed and appropriate support had to be given to Dr Khoza. Times Live reported that, “The death threats started after she spoke out against corruption, state capture and specifically President Zuma’s administration.”
Revelations from the KZN
The Moerane Commission of Inquiry in South Africa’s KwaZulu Natal is currently investigating political killings in the province. 89 people were killed since 2014 yet no arrests have been made. The Commission heard that activists are suppressed by the ANC in order for corruption to continue unchecked. This emerged from the presentations of Abahlali Basemjondol, a shack dwellers movement. It was further alleged that senior police officers in the province were afraid of investigating cases against politicians.
It is beyond doubt that South Africa needs serious clean ups. The growing political tensions are reaching disturbing levels and yet the police have been accused of dragging their feet in the sand. There are no concrete investigations that could link anyone to anything but there is enough smoke to warrant justified assumptions of fire. The Gupta fiasco, the new wave of radicalism, death threats and many other red flags are starting to dent what had been a great track record in democracy. South Africa was a shining beacon and a few politicians cannot be allowed to make a mockery of a great experiment in governance and politics. Is it that democracy is too perfect a system to be assimilated in such imperfect societies as we have or it is simply unwillingness on the part of the leaders? The latter seems more sensible and citizens need to pressurise holders of public office to start being accountable. South Africa cannot waste away while everyone watches on.