African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s brother, Jabu Mbalula, has been appointed the performing premier of Free State for a month.

Mbalula’s appointment is efficient from Friday, 15 November, till 15 December.

FIKILE MBALULA’S BROTHER APPOINTED ACTING PREMIER IN FREE STATE

Jabu Ntsokolo Ishmael Mbalula is conversant in the Free State provincial authorities as he beforehand served as its spokesperson. 

After the 29 May elections he was appointed MEC for Community Safety, Roads and Transport within the province.

He additionally served as SA’s Ambassador to Romania from 2017 till his return to South Africa.  

In 2022, an investigative report into the unlawful appointment of staffers within the Free State’s Mangaung Metro Municipality uncovered Jabu Mbalula as one of many ghost staffers who allegedly price the council hundreds of thousands in salaries each month whereas by no means reporting for a single day of labor.

The Citizen reported that almost all ANC cadre deployments occurred after the 2021 native authorities elections when people recognized as “skeletal staff” have been signed up, usually with out appointment letters or contracts, violating the Municipal Systems Act.

According to the report, the ghost employees acquired a complete of R2.5 million in salaries in January alone. In  March, the wage invoice shot as much as R9 million because the variety of employed staffers elevated from 125 to 165. 

Following Jabu’s appointment, the ANC within the Free State held a media briefing to defend the choice to nominate him as a member of the manager council.

FREE STATE PREMIER IN HOT WATER OVER ALLEGED CORRUPTION

Meanwhile, Free State premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae is reportedly in scorching water with the ANC within the province over alleged corruption.

In October, Sunday World reported {that a} street development and upkeep contractor Patrick Phuti of New Beginnings Projects claimed that his firm was appointed to do work price R269 million on a 37.4km stretch of tar street by the Department of Roads and Transport headed by Letsoha-Mathae as MEC. 

Phuti advised the publication that he was “very angry” that he acquired a uncooked deal from the premier when his three-year contract for street upkeep was abruptly terminated seven months in the past. 

“I purchased Lawrence a Mercedes Benz V-Class 300 that’s price greater than R2 million. When issues went bitter, I despatched my guys to their home to repossess the automobile.  

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