He is accused of giving food parcels to only ANC members and beaching lockdown regulations in the process.
A criminal charge has been laid against eHlanzeni ANC leader Ngrai Ngwenya over allegations of breaching Covid-19 regulations.
The charge was opened at the Malalane police station in Nkomazi by the Mpumalanga EFF.
Ngwenya over the weekend of 3 May 2020 received food parcels donated to the party in the Ehlanzeni region by Gauteng-based Malawian controversial prophet, Shepherd Bushiri.
EFF provincial chairman Collen Sedibe said Ngwenya didn’t follow the Covid-19 regulations over the past weekend when he convened many people to come receive the food parcels.
ALSO SEE: I didn’t give Bushiri a permit, Thandi Shongwe
Last week Thursday 30 April 2020 the prophet was prevented by the Hawks from coming to donate the parcels to the province’s town of Witbank. It was alleged the permit for Bushiri to come to the province was issued by social development MEC Thandi Shongwe, a member and frequenter at Bushiri’s Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) in Gauteng.
The Hawks said Bushiri was not allowed to travel from one province to another and should instead send the parcels to the Solidary Fund.
Seems the parcels have now their new way to Ngwenya’s stronghold of Nkomazi instead of Witbank.
Sedibe alleged the food parcels were actually bought by Shongwe and international relations deputy minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini and the impression created that the parcels come from Bushiri.
“Thandi Shongwe and Candith Mashego are Bushiri’s stooges. They give him a lot of money and buy him cars, so this food is from them,” Sedibe said.
Parcels for ANC members
Sedibe said they sensed the food parcels would find their way to ANC people only and other community members would be excluded because of their preferred political parties.
“The question is why donate food to the ANC and not to the government?” he asks.
“We believe the food benefited only members of the ANC. We know his friends are Candith Mashego-Dlamini and Thandi Shongwe whom are members of the ANC and members of his church, that’s why he gave them the donations,” he said.
He said the charges of contravening lockdown rules were laid against Ngwenya after he was seen with a large number of people in a video clip during the distribution of the parcels.
“That’s why I’m here at the Malalane police station to open a case against him,” he said.
Ngwenya said it was a lie the food parcels would only be given to ANC supporters, saying poverty “knows no political party”.
“The EFF will always do, is their job to oppose even during a hard time when people should get food they will always oppose and myself I don’t care as long as I work for the people, that’s it. And we wish to take this opportunity and thank Pastor Bushiri, we say may God bless him,” Ngwenya said.
He said government didn’t play any role in the purchase of the parcels, only Bushiri and himself did, from their pockets.
He said he was already on his way to needy families to deliver the parcels when Bushiri added more.
Meanwhile, co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Mandla Msibi has called on politicians and councillors to not form part of any program where food parcels are delivered to the needy.
(edited by ZK)
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