DA launches 'Hlongwa monitor' over alleged corruption

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JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng on Sunday launched a “Hlongwa monitor” to track how long it takes before Gauteng premier David Makhura fires African National Congress Gauteng legislature chief whip Brian Hlongwa. "It is now three days and Hlongwa has not been fired by premier Makhura," DA Gauteng MPL Jack Bloom said. This followed the damning Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report made public last week implicating Hlongwa in R1.2 billion of corrupt activities when he was health MEC from 2006 to 2009. The report was submitted to former president Jacob Zuma in March 2017, and also gave details of money given to Hlongwa to help purchase his R7.2 million house in Bryanston, Johannesburg, Bloom said. "Makhura has resisted previous calls to act against corruption by firing Hlongwa from his senior position in the Gauteng legislature. In August 2014 I referred Hlongwa to Dr Ralph Mgijima, the legislatures’s integrity commissioner, for failing to declare a number of benefits as revealed in a court document by the national director of public prosecutions which applied for an asset forfeiture order against his Bryanston property.

READ: Exposed: R1.2bn graft under ex-MEC #BrianHlongwa

"Mgijima declined to act against Hlongwa because he said the matter was sub judice, but I suspect political interference in the inordinately delay in bringing this to court even though the evidence against him is overwhelming," Bloom said.

The SIU report showed how “state capture” occurred when 3P, a private company, took over management functions within the Gauteng health department and awarded "fishy" tenders worth more than R1.2 billion, with alleged kickbacks to Hlongwa.

"The department has never recovered from this dark period which has led to the current public health crisis in Gauteng. It was reported on 28 July 2014 that the allegations against Hlongwa were referred to the ANC’s provincial integrity committee.

"They have done nothing, just as they have failed to act against former health MEC Qedani Mahlangu for the Esidimeni tragedy. I challenge Makhura to act against Hlongwa which he can do as the acting ANC chairperson in Gauteng. It makes a mockery of his claim to be fighting corruption if he allows Hlongwa to remain as chief whip earning R1.4 million a year," Bloom said.

African News Agency (ANA)