The Speaker of the Mpumalanga Legislature, Makhosazane Masilela, has given the FF Plus the undertaking that the ANC's executive authority will be called to account for a controversial land transaction in Mbombela.
Masilela has instructed the Premier, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, to submit a comprehensive report – detailing why the land (Farm Biggar) of 166 hectares was purchased for R34 million, which is R19 million more than the initial asking price – within ten working days.
After the FF Plus queried the transaction in which the city of Mbombela was named the new owner of the land, Mtsweni-Tsipane said during a question-and-answer session that it was the Department of Human Settlements that bought the land for the city.
During the same question-and-answer session, the Premier was unable to explain how tax money could be wasted in this way, despite all the existing measures to prevent corruption being in place.
The land was bought from companies that have ties with ANC cadres. Some of the directors of these companies had been arrested before the transaction in question even took place because they reportedly benefited from similar land sales with inflated land prices.
Among them is the former Minister of State Security of the Jacob Zuma administration, Bongani Bongo.
The FF Plus insists that the Premier's Office must disclose the whole report and based on the findings, the party will take the matter further to ensure that the guilty parties are brought to book.
The FF Plus will continue to expose and combat corruption so as to ensure that there is accountability in the province.
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