ANC leader admits money is used to buy votes

ANC Northern Cape chair Zamani Saul said that money continues to play a role in the votes at the party’s National Conferences.

He shared this information during an interview with ENCA regarding an allegation by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma that vote-buying at ANC conferences was commonplace.

She alleged that during the 2022 ANC Conference at Nasrec, money was openly distributed at a clinic to buy votes for candidates.

She implicated Mbalula, whom she said bought votes to secure his selection as ANC Secretary General and Cyril Ramaphosa’s election as President.

“On the first morning of the 2022 ANC conference, half a billion rand was found in somebody’s room,” she said.

“Money has played a big role in the ANC. Mbalula was handing out money at the clinic. So, money has played a role in the ANC.”

“It was not a secret. Mbalula was dishing out money to be elected as the Secretary General and for the President to be elected.”

She added that, although it is criminal to buy votes at an ANC elective conference, everyone knew it was happening.

“Money was used. We all know. We all saw it. At the ANC’s 2022 National Conference, we all saw it,” Dlamini-Zuma said.

“If you ask anyone who worked at the clinic at the time, they’ll tell you. Even the media reported it. I’m not revealing a secret.”

She said that money plays a big role in the selection of ANC leaders. “That is what I can say,” she told Ndlozi.

Mbalula denied the allegations, saying he did not distribute money to delegates at the facility referred to as the clinic or anywhere else.

“Nothing of the sort was done by me. I reject the allegation, and reject the proposition that the leadership of this Movement was procured with money I distributed,” he said.

Despite Mbalula’s denials of vote-buying, ANC Northern Cape chair Zamani Saul said that money did indeed play a role in the party’s elective conferences.

“There’s nothing new in that allegation. We have acknowledged that. Look at our resolutions on organisational renewal from the past three conferences,” he said.

“The role of money in shaping the politics of the African National Congress has been acknowledged. Money was used to influence the leadership race.”

“We are working to mitigate the impact of its use in the contestation of leadership. Nobody says money is not being used.”