Zuma's MK Party brings big guns to NCOP

The uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party is planning to send a team of heavyweights as its new members in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) as early as this week.

Sunday World revealed that former Eskom CEO, Brian Molefe, former Prasa CEO, Lucky Montana, former Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama, and former SARS commissioner, Tom Moyane, are among those the party wants sworn in as its members in the NCOP.

Montana yesterday confirmed that he was approached and accepted the MK Party's proposal to be one of its MPs.

"I can confirm that I was approached and accepted," Montana said.

He also confirmed that other black professionals were also approached.

"I know Brian Molefe and Siyabonga Gama were also approached and they also accepted, " he added.

The latest move by MK Party is apparently giving the ANC sleepless nights.

"If these guys get sworn in as members of parliament  it will be difficult  for the ANC, these comrades are some of the smartest people that we sacrificed for selfish and factional reasons," said a senior ANC member, who is also a governing party's national executive committee member.

"People will say these guys were implicated in the state capture commission but our own comrades were also implicated, Zizi (Kodwa) was just sworn in this week after he appeared in court the other week.

"In all fairness, that argument that Brian, Lucky and Siya were implicated in the Zondo commission doesn't hold water as the ANC has comrades who were implicated but who are still in parliament.

"Our own national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, was also implicated in the Zondo commission and he is in parliament after he was sworn in as a member.

"Zweli Mkhize, who was forced to resign as minister of health after he was implicated in the digital vibe scandal, has also been sworn in as a member of parliament.

"People living in glass houses must stop throwing stones. We must just accept that [former president Jacob] Zuma has outsmarted us," he added.

MK officials were reluctant to confirm or deny the appointments.

The trio's names were also discussed at the  party's first lekgotla in Bela Bela, Limpopo province this weekend.

"We aren't going to run our organisation through the media and therefore we are not going to confirm or deny that we are sending Brian and them to parliament," a senior party official, who asked not to be named, said.

But three other officials, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Molefe and Montana might be sworn in as members of parliament soon.

"All I know is that we have accepted a list of candidates we must send to the NCOP and that Brian and Lucky's names are in there but whether they have accepted our offer I don't know.

"We are bringing big guns to parliament because we are going to war to finally liberate our people," one of the officials said.

Corruption Watch last week withdrew its court application to have Molefe declared a delinquent director.

The organisation had taken Molefe to court  after the Zondo commission recommended further investigation against him.

Molefe's lawyer, Mpho Molefe of Molaba Attorneys, last week said his client was vindicated by the withdrawal.

He said Molefe had suffered economically and professionally on baseless and defamatory statements against him that were designed to damaged his reputation.

Corruption Watch didn't give reasons for the withdrawal.

Montana strongly believed that Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who chaired the state capture commission, abused his power "to protect the real criminals".

 "It is also my firm view that the reports of the state capture commission should not only be taken on review but criminal charges be laid against Justice Zondo personally for his deliberate violation of the law, abuse of power, criminal conduct and disgraceful conduct.

"He used this commission to effectively protect the real criminals among us and consolidated their power,"  said Montana.

Montana yesterday confirmed that he has taken Zondo's report on review.

"I am ready to serve my country, which I offered back in 2018  that I was willing to work in parliament for free as long as it is for the benefit of our people," Montana explained.

Gama, along with other former Transnet executives, including Molefe and  Anoj Singh as well as Regiments directors Niven Pillay and Litha Nyhonyha and former Transnet acting CFO Garry Pita, former group treasurer Phetolo Ramosebudi, Regiments Capital share-holder Eric Wood and his employee, Daniel Roy, and Kuben Moodley, owner of Albatime, are facing fraud and corruption charges and they are all out on bail.

The matter is in the Gauteng High Court.

MK spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela couldn't be reached for comment.

But Sunday World is also informed  that popular Shangaan disco musician, Erick "Penny Penny" Nkovane, who left the ANC to join MK, is also expected to be sworn in as a member of parliament.