Fikile Mbalula's yacht arrival at ANC event sparks controversy
Cape Town - ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe has revealed the party is set to deal with the matter concerning secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who allegedly arrived at an ANC event at Robben Island on a "luxury yacht" during the 113th anniversary celebrations.
Mbalula reportedly made the grand entrance at the weekend, drawing both scrutiny and curiosity from fellow party leaders and observers alike.
The yacht in question reportedly belongs to Fernando Acafrao, a businessman who has secured multiple multimillion-rand government contracts.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Monday, Mantashe was quick to dispel any notion that the device of transport used by Mbalula was sanctioned by the ANC.
“There was no ANC meeting that took that decision. So, we cannot make that an ANC decision,” he said, underscoring that the arrival on a yacht was a personal choice rather than a party-determined directive.
Mantashe said that while operational decisions could be made within the ANC's departments, no formal resolution was reached within the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The chairperson labelled Mbalula's yacht entrance as a “side show” that detracted from the significance of the occasion, highlighting the unique nature of the event held at an iconic location synonymous with the struggles of ANC members.
Cape Argus