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Today, 23 November 2009

Yesterday, 22 November 2009

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Seven months after African National Congress MP Ruth Ntshulana-Bhengu resigned from Parliament following her conviction in the "Travelgate" scandal, she is on track back into public office, the Witness reported on Thursday.

Ntshulana-Bhengu made a surprise comeback on Wednesday when she emerged first on the ANC's proportional representation list for Ugu District Municipality, published on the party's website.

She said the ANC put her name on the list after a series of internal nomination list processes, the Witness continued.

Outrage from opposition

Inkatha Freedom Party campaign manager Mntomuhle Khawula said: "This is an insult to the people of Ugu. The person in question was dismissed from Parliament because of her own admission that she had committed the crime."

"We thought it was in line with President Thabo Mbeki's stance against corruption that she was dismissed. But the party today is dumping her on Ugu. This is taxpayers' money we are talking about here.

"The IFP ran a clean government in the district until September 2004. As a party with that record, we are disappointed that the sphere of government that won a prize for clean administration from the South African Local Government Association and a Vuna Award as a Best Municipality is today going to have a person of this calibre," said Khawula.

"Totally unacceptable"

The leader of the Democratic Alliance in the province, Roger Burrows, reacted in disbelief.

"How can the ANC do that? This is one of those circumstances when the DA says Mbeki must stop corruption and the ANC doesn't know how to do it. We have just been vindicated this time. Everybody who was involved in the Travelgate scandal or any other corruption should not be put on the list. This is totally unacceptable."

The African Christian Democratic Party's Jo-Anne Downs was equally opposed to the move.

"The ANC is sending a message that corruption is okay. It is really unacceptable. People who have committed corruption should not be allowed to be in public office."

ANC closes ranks

The ANC's KwaZulu-Natal spokesman, Senzo Mchunu, was terse.

"We have no complaint about Comrade Ntshulana-Bhengu. The party has not broken any law to put her on the list. Anyone who is concerned about this should talk to us.

"All we can say is that all those who believe they have not sinned, we shall allow them to throw stones at Ntshulana-Bhengu," said Mchunu.

Sapa