Allegation about R4.5m kickback a ‘ridiculous and malicious fabrication’ – Zweli Mkize

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Zweli Mkhize says he is seeking legal advice on a report about a R4.5-million “kickback” or “facilitation fee” that he is supposed to be seeking‚ which he described as “a ridiculous and malicious fabrication”.

The Sunday Times reported that a letter of demand from a Johannesburg law firm had exposed an alleged R4.5-million kickback for Mkhize‚ a former ANC treasurer-general‚ and other ANC supporters for helping an oil company get a huge loan from the PIC.

The letter‚ dated October 2017‚ names Mkhize in a legal claim against Afric Oil‚ which describes itself as South Africa’s “first BEE fuel distribution company”‚ the report stated.

It claims that at a meeting at Luthuli House “sometime in early June 2016” a loan application to the PIC “was extensively discussed and the TG agreed to promote Afric Oil’s projects‚ including providing support for the facilitation of the PIC loan”.

It says a “fund-raising fee shall be shared amongst them”‚ with R4.5-million going to Mkhize. The loan was for R210-million.

The meeting came after an initial loan application had been rejected by the government pension fund manager‚ the letter says.

The law firm claims to be acting for Zonkizizwe Investments‚ which it says is “wholly owned by the ANC”.

It claims part of the facilitation fee was never paid and that its clients are seeking their money‚ the Sunday Times report said.

In a statement on Sunday‚ Mkize said: “I have never facilitated the said loan negotiations nor have I sought any ‘facilitation fee’ from the said company. It is extremely unacceptable and mischievous for my name to be dragged into a matter that I have nothing to do with in this manner.

“I am seeking legal advice.”

- TimesLIVE