Africa-Press – South-Africa. While the DA in KwaZulu-Natal has brushed off allegations of corruption involving the party’s premier candidate, Chris Pappas, as “high school gossip,” the KZN ANC Youth League (ANCYL) has called for Pappas to be removed as mayor of the uMngeni Municipality.
The provincial structure has also planned a “shutdown” march at the municipality on Monday.
Just days after the DA announced Pappas as the party’s premier candidate, former DA KZN leader Sizwe Mchunu filed a complaint with the Office of the Public Protector, alleging that a tourism contract was awarded to Jean-Pierre Prinsloo – the mayor’s former fiancé.
The allegations, according to Mchunu, are that Prinsloo left his job as a councillor at the eThekwini Municipality and relocated to uMngeni supposedly to be closer to his fiancé, and that on arrival at the municipality, he was appointed as the chairperson of uMngeni Tourism. Mchunu further alleged that the municipality funded uMngeni Tourism more than other tourism entities in the area.
Prinsloo and Pappas have both denied the allegations.
However, in a statement, the ANCYL said it was “deeply concerned” by the allegations and called for Pappas to resign immediately.
“These allegations cast a dark shadow over the DA’s claims of [the] moral high ground and expose the hypocrisy that seems to plague the party.
“The allegations against Mayor Pappas are nothing short of shocking. ”
The league stated:
“n light of these deeply troubling allegations and the evidence that has emerged, the ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal hereby calls on Mayor Chris Pappas to step aside immediately while the relevant authorities conduct a thorough investigation.
“This step is essential to ensure that he does not interfere with the investigation process and to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the inquiry.”
Last week, MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, ordered a department-led investigation into the allegations.
The league gave Pappas “a seven-day ultimatum” to resign and said his “failure to heed this call will force us to consider more radical means to demand his removal from office”.
The league’s provincial convenor, Mqondisi Duma, has also called for “mass action” to “shut down” the municipality following the allegations.
In what appears to be Pappas trolling the league on Facebook, he responded to A poster announcing the “shutdown” by saying:
Meanwhile, the DA Youth in KZN has defended Pappas, calling the league’s plan to march to the municipality “mischievous threats”.
“This is pure grandstanding and part of enhanced efforts by a criminal party to pursue misleading methods to try and discredit a visibly hardworking young mayor who has shown the world what can be achieved to improve the lives of people when in government,” said provincial DA Youth chairperson Sthabelo Ntshangase.
He said the actions of the league were “opportunistic”, and questioned why the ANCYL in the province had remained silent on alleged corruption in ANC-led municipalities.
“We are not surprised that the ANC Youth League has never marched against corruption in municipalities like eThekwini and Msunduzi that have robbed young people of opportunities and service delivery so that ANC-connected individuals can drive expensive cars, wear designer clothes and drink excessive amounts of alcohol on the backs of the destitute youth of our province,” said Ntshangase.
He alleged that the ANCYL was being used by its mother body, which is “visibly panicking” ahead of the 2024 elections at the prospect of losing the province.
Ntshangase said the DA Youth in KZN supported Pappas and would not be “shaken nor distracted” by “cheap political stunts”.
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