The African National Congress (ANC) in the Free State has appointed Jabu Mbalula as its new spokesperson.
Outgoing spokesperson Oupa Khoabane said Mbalula was appointed at the party’s provincial lekgotla underway in Bloemfontein.
“The PEC has appointed Jabu Mbalula as the spokesperson. Comrade Jabu is not new to the industry, he will be able to execute his responsibilities excellently.
“One hopes that the media will cooperate well with him as you did with me. Thanks for working well with me, and I believe that you will do the same with Jabu Mbalula.”
Jabu is a brother to ANC national secretary-general and outgoing Cabinet minister, Fikile Mbalula.
Mangaung ‘ghost worker’
An investigation by a law firm unearthed the new spin doctor as one of the ghost workers costing Mangaung metro millions in salaries.
ALSO READ: National government exorcises Mangaung’s ghost workers, corruption
The Citizen reported how Mbalula and other politically connected ANC Mangaung members earned fat salaries after the 2021 local government polls, but never worked a single day at the ailing municipality.
The revelations came after the outgoing transport minister launched Operation Ziveze at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) to expose ghost workers fleecing the entity of millions of rand while sitting at home.
More than 1 000 of them “resigned” after the announcement.
The glaring irony for the Mbalula brothers drew widespread mimicking from readers.
In September last year, administrators at Mangaung metro claimed to have stopped payments to the ghost workers.
Free State ‘is rising’ again
Sources in the province said Mbalula’s appointment was not a surprise.
“Jabu is an active ANC member in his own right, but he is also a brother to the new secretary-general in Luthuli House, and that is a powerful position in the ANC.
“That tells you about the power dynamics and influence. Whether he is paid to sit at home or not, no one in sitting the lekgotla seemed to care,” said one informant who wanted to remain anonymous as he wasn’t allowed to speak on party matters.
Another source said the Mbalulas seem to be emerging as the “new force to clean up” after long-time Free State leader Ace Magashule’s fall from grace.
“The Free State is rising again now,” he said.
NOW READ: Oh, the irony! Mbalula’s brother exposed as one of Mangaung’s costly ghost workers
