The ANC’s Integrity Commission says it will start implementing the Zondo Commission’s recommendations by summoning 97 ANC leaders and members implicated in acts of corruption and other improprieties. 

“The number of engagements with comrades accused of bringing disrepute to the organisation has increased exponentially,” says a report by the commission that was tabled at the ANC’s 55th ANC National Elective Conference under way at Nasrec, outside Soweto.

The Integrity Commission is the ANC’s moral authority, responsible for probing matters relating to the ethical conduct of its leaders and members. Its report was part of the party’s organisational report presented by Deputy President David Mabuza at the conference on Saturday, 17 December.

Two sources who were inside the plenary at the time of Mabuza’s presentation said some voting delegates had voiced objections to the recommendations, complaining that the report was selective and that it targeted certain leaders while clearing others.

The list of “persons implicated” in the State Capture report was submitted by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to the Integrity Commission in October. 

Some of the ANC officials implicated in the State Capture report include: former president Jacob Zuma; former MP Vincent Smith; suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule; ANC national chair and Minerals and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe (who has publicly indicated that he intends to take the report on legal review); Nomvula Mokonyane (the former minister and current ANC head of organising); Dudu Myeni (former SAA chairperson); Sfiso Buthelezi (the former board chair of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA, who is now an MP); as well as ANC MPs Winnie Ngwenya and Cedric Frolick. 

The Integrity Commission report says it is interested to hear the ANC members’ sides of the story. 

Toothless

Despite the Integrity Commission’s intention to summon members cited in the Zondo Commission report, Mabuza said it lacked the capacity to do its work successfully.

“A big drawback that inhibits the work of the IC [Integrity Commission] is that the structure does not have staff permanently assigned to it. It is currently served by two cadres from the secretary-general’s office and a volunteer.” 

Another challenge for the commission relates to the environment in which it operates, which Mabuza described as “unhealthy and not conducive” to the adjudication of matters pertaining to ANC leaders and members.  

The report accuses the NEC of failing to give the commission the necessary support and powers: “The IC is gravely concerned by the failure of the NEC in the initial stages to discuss reports of the IC as this is not conducive to the processing of the work of the IC.

“This issue was raised with the NEC and separately with the officials on different occasions. It can now be reported that the IC reports are now a standing item on the NEC agenda.”    

The Integrity Commission was established in 2013 to deal with the ethical standards of party leaders and members in the face of widespread allegations of corruption and possible State Capture. It is led by chairperson George Mashamba and deputy chair Sophie de Bruyn. 

The commission said it has met 144 times, with most of its meetings taking place in 2021 and 2022. The report attributes this to an increase in cases of members bringing the party into disrepute.  

In 2019, the commission engaged with 18 members. In 2020, it met with nine members – 12 in 2021 and 12 in 2022.  

“There is the potential prospect of engaging with the 97 members cited in the Zondo Commission report who might in all likelihood have to report to the IC.” 

Cyril Ramaphosa is among those who have appeared before the commission this year. He is the only person to appear twice. He first appeared in connection to the funding of his CR17 campaign and, second, for the Phala Phala farm forex theft scandal.

Others who have appeared before the commission include Mantashe, former Eastern Cape MEC Babalo Madikizela, Eastern Cape premier and chair Oscar Mabuyane, Chief Whip Pemmy Majodina, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, former health minister and presidential hopeful Zweli Mkhize and Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.   

Those who appeared before the Integrity Commission in 2019 did so because they were referred to the commission by the NEC after failing to meet the vetting criteria on the eligibility for inclusion as candidates for elections. They included Mabuza, Mantashe, Mokonyane, former ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini as well as former North West premier and ANC chairperson Supra Mahumapelo. DM