Gama, Molefe, Montana and Manyi: State Capture quartet become MK Party MPs
The MK Party has described the swearing in of corruption-accused former heads of state-owned enterprises as historic.
Despite corruption charges and alleged involvement in State Capture, former heads of state-owned entities Brian Molefe, Siyabonga Gama, and Lucky Montana are now uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party members of Parliament.
The three were sworn in alongside artist Eric “Penny Penny” Nkovani and former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member Mzwanele Manyi on Wednesday.
CORRUPTION ACCUSED FORMER SOE CEOs JOIN MK PARTY
Brian Molefe has been involved with entities such as Telkom, the Airports Company of South Africa, the National Empowerment Fund, and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation. Brian was Chief Executive Officer of Transnet before his secondment as acting Chief Executive of Eskom in April 2015. He was appointed Group Chief Executive on 1 October 2015 and resigned in November 2016.
As per Mail and Guardian, Molefe faces fraud, corruption, and money-laundering charges related to the inflated tender to procure 1 064 locomotives to upgrade the logistics company’s ageing fleet.
The Zondo Commission found that Molefe was involved in the Gupta brothers looting Transnet coffers. He and former Transnet chief financial officer Anoj Singh are due back in court in October.
Likewise, Lucky Montana headed the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa between 2010 and 2015. He reportedly directed who should receive lucrative tenders
On the other hand, Siyabonga Gama was arrested in 2022, along with three other former Transnet executives, and faces charges of corruption and money laundering.
The former executives are charged with contravening the Public Finance Management Act and fraud. The charges relate to millions of rand Transnet paid Trillian for organizing a R30 billion club loan to help buy 1,064 locomotives.
Lastly, Mzwanele Manyi, who recently ditched the EFF, has been appointed MK Party Chief Whip in Parliament. He takes over from Sihle Ngubane, who is now an ordinary MP.
Over the past five years, Manyi has moved through the ranks of five different political parties.
DO YOU THINK THE NEWLY ELECTED MK PARTY MPs WILL FINISH THEIR TERMS IN PARLIAMENT?
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