Alliance partners reject decision to allow Radzilani, Msiza to resume their duties

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the SA Communist Party (SACP) have rejected the ANC national executive committee’s (NEC) decision to let two party bigwigs in Limpopo go back to work after two years on suspension after they were allegedly linked to the looting and collapse of VBS Mutual Bank.

The two leaders, Limpopo ANC deputy provincial chair Florence Radzilani and treasurer Danny Msiza, resumed their duties at ANC provincial headquarters in Polokwane on Wednesday. Party provincial spokesperson Soviet Lekganyane said the provincial executive committee (PEC) had received a report from the NEC saying it had decided to allow Radzilani and Msiza to resume their duties.

“The NEC earlier embarked on a process of consultations with various stakeholders in the province before implementing the decision. The PEC accepts the decision of the NEC and welcomes the two comrades to continue where they left off,” said Lekganyane.

He said their resumption of duties and responsibilities would, to a large measure, assist in efforts to bring about stability in the ANC in the province. He said both Msiza and Radzilani have recommitted themselves to serve the organisation and the people of Limpopo with the utmost humility.

But the decision was sharply criticised by Cosatu and the SACP, both in the province and at national level. The two, together with the South African National Civic Organisation, are part of the tripartite alliance with the ANC. The two organisations told this newspaper during exclusive interviews the decision to allow Msiza and Radzilani to return to their posts was ill-informed, toxic and dangerous.

“We are likely to lose a considerable number of votes to the opposition, such as the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance, in the upcoming municipal elections.

“We rejected the decision by the NEC two months ago to lift their suspension and we reject the decision today to have them back to work,” said Cosatu national spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.

SACP provincial spokesperson Machike Thobejane said the ANC had failed dismally to live up to its promise to fight corruption.

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