Step aside and appear before us, says ANC’s integrity commission

The ANC’s Integrity Commission wants former Mpumalanga MEC Mandla Msibi to appear before them. The demand comes after he was charged with murder this week.

Msibi’s bail hearing continued yesterday after a bomb threat on Wednesay. ANC Integrity Commission chairperson George Mashamba said they met this week to discuss Msibi and want him to appear before them.

He said the ANC was clear on this; members of the party charged with serious crimes have to step aside and subject themselves to the commission.

He said even President Cyril Ramaphosa made this point clear that members charged with corruption or other serious offences need to face the Integrity Commission.

“As soon as they are charged the leadership should come in. The president, in Msibi’s case, said he should come to the Integrity Commission. He hasn’t come. Even the conference says so. If he doesn’t come, we will have to call him,” said Mashamba.

If members fail to show at the commission, they must give reasons why they did not attend the hearing.

Msibi, who was MEC for agriculture, land reform and environmental affairs, was fired by Premier Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane this week after he was arrested on murder charges.

He has been replaced as elections manager for the party in Mpumalanga. Former ANC MP Jabulani Mahlangu is now the elections manager.

Yesterday, security was tightened outside the court in Mbombela where Msibi’s bail hearing was being heard.

Police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdluli said they were ensuring the safety around the building.

Msibi was charged with murder over an incident in August where two people were fatally shot and another was injured.