ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema has been cleared of any wrongdoing, following an investigation into alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts, a government ombudsman said yesterday.
South Africa’s public protector Thuli Madonsela said she found no evidence that SGL Engineering Projects won tenders through “improper influence due to friendships, comradeship, favouritism, nepotism, interference or any other impropriety”. Mr Malema was involved with SGL until November 2009.
However, she added, in several instances she could not make an accurate determination that contracts entered into had “complied with the relevant procurement legislation . . . due to poor procurement record-keeping by the said municipalities”.
Ms Madonsela launched her investigation into alleged tender irregularities after receiving complaints from the opposition Congress of the People (Cope) party and Afriforum Youth, a white interest group last March.
The calls for an inquiry into Mr Malema’s affairs were made on foot of local newspaper reports that suggested SGL was awarded nine municipality tenders in Limpopo province and one in the north west because of the youth league leader’s political influence.
There were also accusations that the work carried out by SGL, which included road construction, had been of a poor standard. However, the public protector found that these accusations were unfounded.
Mr Malema’s supporters welcomed the inquiry’s outcome, saying the offending reports “were a lame attempt to destroy the character and integrity of the president” by corrupt journalists.
“These findings altogether overturn the allegations spread by the media and rumour-mongers that the ANCYL president was involved in improper dealings with municipalities through SGL [Engineering Projects],” youth league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said.
The revelation that reports into Mr Malema’s affairs may have been inaccurate could not have come at a worse time for South African media, which is being threatened with introduction of tighter legislative controls and controls by the ANC leadership.
Following the findings Afriforum Youth said it would launch its own investigation into the tender process involving SGL. “Malema plays a senior role in the ruling party and the awarding of municipal tenders to a company of which he is a director is unethical, irrespective of what the public protector or any law may say in this regard”, spokesman Ernst Roets said.