South Africa’s ruling African National Congress Party’s Secretary-General, Ace Magashule, remained unperturbed with recent corruption allegations levelled against him in a controversial new book, as he dished out cash to voters in the Western Cape Province at the weekend.
Magashule, who launched the first day of a two-day campaign in the province on Sunday, urged supporters not to “vote for white people” because they were angry with the ANC and its leaders, but to ensure the Western Cape Province returned to his party.
The province has been under the rule of the opposition Democratic Alliance for nearly a decade, and the ANC’s efforts to win it back has failed during the period.
Magashule’s comments come in the wake of damning claims published in journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh’s new book, “Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule’s Web of Capture.”
The book details Magushule’s alleged his involvement in corrupt activities in the Free State Province when he was head of the regional government and how he worked with the Gupta Brothers to set up dubious business transactions involving mobile health clinics run by the Indians who have since fled the country.
His visit to the region coincided with that of the author, who was also in Cape Town to promote the book.
As he campaigned, Magashule’s dished out $14 to each resident he met while conducting door-to-door visits
Magashule dismissed the book and its contents, saying it was just a ploy to cause a distraction and would not affect the party’s stance on running a campaign against corruption.
“It is a non-issue. We are focusing on elections. The ANC is against corruption and that is why we will work hard. It (the book) is not going to distract us at all,” he said.
NM/as/APA