In August 1998, the ANC Mpumalanga Provincial Conference resolved to establish a commission of inquiry to probe the conduct of some of the officials of the organisation in the period prior the conference.
When the National Working Committee met with the Provincial Working Committee in October 1998, as part of its programme of visiting all provinces, it emerged at the meeting that there were other organisational problems which warranted that the terms of reference of the commission be expanded. It was further agreed that the probe be conducted by the NEC Sub-Committee on Mpumalanga chaired by Nosiviwe Maphisa-Nqakula.
The terms of reference of the commission were as follows:
a.. Investigate the full cause of disunity in the ANC structures and amongst members in the province;
a.. Investigate the extend to which leadership figures in the province were involved in fomenting problems in the province;
b.. Investigate all ANC structures in the province and gather evidence from members and non-members in search of the truth;
c.. Investigate the use of media by any member of the ANC in the province contrary to the established procedures and interest of the movement;
The commission directly interviewed a total of 27 members of the organisation.
During the course of the inquiry certain information came to the attention of the commission relating to misdemeanors and malpractice in the provincial government and parastatals. These issues are being dealt with currently by the Heath Special Investigative Unit, Gobodo Forensic Team and the South African Police Services.
The commission found that there was an existence of factional groups in the province, at the centre of which was the Provincial Chairperson of the ANC, Mathew Phosa and ANC Youth League Provincial Secretary James Nkambule on one hand, and Che Masilela and others on the other hand.
In particular the commission found that Mathew Phosa's style of leadership was autocratic and encouraged factionalism within the organisation. The commission also found that under the leadership of James Nkambule, sections of the ANC Youth League in the province were involved in divisive activities, which resulted in the ANCYL being used to advance the interests of certain groups.
This factional style led to instability in the leadership echelons of both the ANC and Government and resulted in tensions and paralysis within the PEC of the ANC. In particular, the failure of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the ANC to work together has served to further exacerbate the problems.
The commission found that in pursuance of factional interests, a deliberate campaign of misinformation was devised and implemented with the co-operation of selected journalists. The commission uncovered the following instances of such activity:
a.. A group of journalists (whose names are known to the ANC) co-operated with individuals in the province to attack and undermine certain ANC leaders and by so doing bring the organisation into disrepute. These campaigns usually climaxed in the period around conferences, where the media were used as lobbying mechanisms for specific candidates.
a.. In the run-up to the 50th National Conference of the ANC, articles were published in certain newspapers in an attempt to influence the ANC's membership regarding the candidacy for the Deputy Presidency of the organisation. The selected group of journalists was regularly convened and briefed to run negative and disparaging articles on Jacob Zuma and to project the image of Mathew Phosa as a credible candidate for the Deputy Presidency of the ANC.
a.. The practice planting stories continued unabated even as the commission was busy with its work. Certain members of this group of journalists persisted in writing stories undermining the work of the commission and painting a false picture as to why the commission had been established in the first place.
a.. The latest expression of this manipulation is a letter (in the possession of the ANC) that was sent to several ANC officials including National Chairperson Terror Lekota and Deputy President Jacob Zuma. The letter claims that the two officials and certain other ANC leaders (including Mathew Phosa) are under threat of being marginalised by the President of the ANC.
A clear pattern has emerged that the journalists referred to earlier, are committed to continuing this work in pursuance of a questionable agenda. They will be spoken to individually by the ANC.
The commission established that Mr. Somaya, the Chairperson of Dolphin Group, confirmed that a sum of R50 000.00 was given Mr. Johannes "Ka" Shabangu, in his capacity as provincial treasurer of the ANC in Mpumalanga. Shabangu informed the Dolphin Group that this money was to be used in an "election" campaign. The commission, however, was unable to determine whether this money was ever deposited into the ANC" account.
The commission did not investigate allegations of mismanagement and mal-administration within the Mpumalanga Parks Board as the matters were outside its mandate and are being investigated by the Heath Unit.
On the basis of its findings, the commission recommended that:
a.. The election lists of Mpumalanga province be reviewed to ensure that divisions identified by the commission do not re-emerge;
a.. The full report of the commission be referred to the National Disciplinary Committee for further consideration and to formulate charges against those individuals who may have violated the constitution of the ANC.
a.. The Treasurer General of the ANC should further investigate matters pertaining to the misuse of funds donated to the ANC;
The National Working Committee accepted the recommendations.
The NWC commends the work of the commission and all those who came forward to disclose information in the interest of the organisation as a whole.
The NWC is clear that the base of the organisation in Mpumalanga remains intact and solid.
The conclusion of the work of the commission marks not an end, but a beginning of consolidating the organisation and cementing unity in the province.
We trust and hope that those who have acted in a divisive and destructive manner over the last period will seize the opportunity granted through the work of the commission to mend their ways and work towards the greater unity of the organisation and indeed the country as a whole.
Issued By
Smuts Ngonyama - Head of ANC Department of Information and Publicity
29 April 1999