Cape Town – A video showing the African National Congress (ANC) treasurer-general Paul Mashatile handing out money to woo the support of church congregants in Limpopo during the party’s campaign for the upcoming local government elections, has surfaced on social media.
This comes against the background of a financially bankrupt ANC, which has for months been unable to pay staff, according to reports.
A tweet shared by Mpho Mathoho read: “ANC Treasurer, Paul Mashatile handing out money to congregants in Limpopo, where he is doing door-to-door campaign. ANC staffs have not been paid for at least three months now via.”
ANC Treasurer, Paul Mashatile handing out money to congregants in Limpopo, where he is doing door-to-door campaign. ANC staffs have not been paid for at least three months now via @PelaneM #Election2021 #ANCLGE2021 pic.twitter.com/Exz2nieajW
— Mpho Maṱhoho (@MaxMpho) September 26, 2021
Following the somewhat illegal gesture, The Citizen reported on Monday that Mashatile could soon find himself on the wrong side of the law, with opposition political parties calling on the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to act on the development.
“This action is against a free and fair election.
“If people are being paid or bribed to support a particular party, it is in contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004,” the report quoted Accountability Now director advocate Paul Hoffman as saying.
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Mashatile has, however, since denied any malicious attempt, telling IOL that he attended a church service in Makhando and during tithe offerings, he and his team contributed as well.
“It is not true that I was handing out money to the congregants. We attended a church service in Makhado and during the tithe offering I handed money to my team so that I’m not the only one contributing to the offering,” Mashatile was quoted as saying.
“This is something very common in church where people share money. It was not an attempt to buy votes,” he added.
Paul Mashatile explains why he was allegedly dishing out cash in a church ? pic.twitter.com/MUrBe6eZYz
— Motshoane Mabena (@MotshoaneMabena) September 26, 2021
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
