The ANCYL in Johannesburg has come out gun blazing in defence of former Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment MEC Mbali following what they describe as a “senseless reputational attack” against former MEC.
The League’s Chairperson Nkhobo Khomongoe says the regional structure has noted a series of media attacks from media outlet: Ground Up targeted at the former MEC.
“It is unsurprising that the attacks against Cde Mbali Hlophe are not only intended to murder her reputation as an ethical public servant but also aimed at achieving nefarious political ends,” he said.
According to Khomongoe, the youth league noted that just in May and June about 19 articles were targeted at discrediting Hlophe, the latest being criticism on advertorials in her perfomance report and an attempt to link the former MEC on procurement matters involving an audit firm: Open Waters.
“Cde Mbali Hlophe is a product of the Mass Democratic Movement, from her days as a student leader. Her commitment and struggle resilience currently see her serving in the Provincial Executive Committee/ Provincial Working Committee of the ANC in Gauteng. It is also the wisdom of the ANC that deployed her for two consecutive terms in the Provincial Executive Committee of Gauteng Government,” he said.
The ANCYL in Johannesburg, he added, finds it prudent to provide such brief political history as the attacks on her personhood have nothing to do with her ethical service in the public sphere.
“They are meant to eliminate the historical contributions of her progressive work as an African woman who is relatively younger the norm. This is first witnessed in the anti- majoritarian corrupt mouthpiece of the establishment “Ground Up”, which is also a weapon of those who want to see the ANC in the opposite echelons of government,” he said.
According to the statement issued by Khomongoe former MEC Hlophe in her 18 months as an MEC in the 6th administration has distinguished herself in dealing with corrupt elements in the departments that were merged proving again that she can
be the best performing in Gauteng.
“Her detractors have now ganged up with the opposition to the ANC using street tactics of
confusing the role of administration and executive functions. Cde Mbali Hlophe’s sin is refusing to give in to the bogus NPO’s that are used as slush pockets to loot money of the vulnerable whilst claiming to do work,” he said.
Khomongoe further said that the ANCYL in Johannesburg found it bizarre that Cde Mbali Hlophe who has not only employed
thousands of young people to respond to the socio-economic challenges as directed by the
imperatives of building a National Democratic Society can be a subject of scrutiny in a manner inconsistent with her sterling performance.
This, he said was a political witch-hunt meant to discredit her in the face of the looming announcement by the Premier of the new Provincial Executive Committee Government in Gauteng.
Referring to the Ground Up article on the irregular awarding of the firm, Khomongoe said function of appointment of HODs is a preserve of the Premier, “therefore to tout Cde Mbali Hlophe as someone who is corrupt because of a Matilda Gasela character does not only smack of political delinquency but is best rooted in engineering a patriarchal stereotype that young African women in public service cannot provide sound leadership.”
Taking a swipe at EFF for calling for the head of Hlophe on the appointment of the audit firm, The ANCYL Johannesburg said it noted the opportunistic EFF “which also has joined the chorus in singing for the removal of the best performing Gauteng MEC in the Provincial Executive Committee.”
“We want to register our frowned rejection of this view as we know that the flip floppers in the opposition are nothing but position-mongers who want to loot the department using faceless NPOs as a disguise for their political ends.
“We thank Cde Mbali Hlophe for her efforts in improving young people’s lives through massive employment initiatives in both the departments she led. We have no doubt that the Premier is spoilt for choice in that given Gauteng ANC’s resolve on youth unemployment, he said.
