More than half of the ANC’s current MPs, including disgraced former communications minister Dina Pule, are on the party’s list of parliamentary candidates.
Pule who was recalled from her position last year after the public protector’s report into allegations of corruption and a potential conflict of interest against her, is number 70 on the list.
The probe involved Pule’s appointment of service providers to do event management for the ICT Indaba in Cape Town.
Madonsela found Pule unlawfully extended her spousal benefits to her romantic partner Phosane Mngqibisa. She found that despite numerous denials, Pule told her department Mngqibisa was her official companion.
The public protector said at a meeting Pule told her Mngqibisa was not her spouse, as he was married to someone else under civil law.
“About 62 percent of the serving parliamentarians will be returning,” ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said.
Long-serving minister Trevor Manuel, in cabinet since 1994, and current deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe were not on the African National Congress’s candidate list. The ANC submitted its list of candidates for parliament and provincial legislatures to the IEC on Tuesday.
“We are comfortable [with the list]. We looked through it carefully,” Mantashe said.
He said the ANC’s national list committee was ready to respond to any issues the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) might raise.
The deadline for political parties to submit their lists ahead of the national elections is Wednesday at 5pm.
The top 10 names on the ANC’s Parliament list are Jacob Zuma, Cyril Ramaphosa, Malusi Gigaba, Naledi Pandor, Jeff Radebe, Fikile Mbalula, Blade Nzimande, Bathabile Dlamini, Lindiwe Sisulu and Collins Chabane.
There were also some controversial names on the list, other than Pule. Both Andile Lungisa and Pule Mabe, who are facing charges of fraud, were on the ANC’s list at numbers 147 and 53 respectively.
Mantashe said the ANC vetted all its candidates and those who had not been convicted of a crime but where still facing charges in court could still be on the list.
“We did check our lists carefully,” he said.
It was found that some members had not paid traffic fines or store accounts, Mantashe urged them to do so.
Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was number 13 on the list despite speculation whether his budget review presented last month would be his last.
Tito Mboweni was also expected to return to parliament as he made it as number 41.
Former Congress of the People MPs Leonard Ramatlkane and Juli Kilian also made the ANC’s list.
Communications minister Yunus Carrim was 40th. — Sapa, with TechCentral reporter
