The ANC Youth League in greater Johannesburg region has come out guns blazing against what they call an attack on the “reputation” of former MEC of Social Development, Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Mbali Hlophe.
The Youth League regional chairperson Nkhobo Khomongoe said they were not surprised that the attacks on Hlophe were not only on intending to assassinate her as an ethical public servant, but were also aimed at achieving nefarious political ends.
“Cde Mbali Hlophe is a product of the Mass Democratic Movement, from her days as a student leader who presided over student affairs at Wits University as a first respondent whilst being president under the banner of SASCO.
“Her commitment and struggle resilience currently see her serving in the Provincial Executive Committee/Provincial Working Committee of the ANC in Gauteng. It is also the wisdom of the ANC that deployed her for two consecutive terms in the provincial executive committee of Gauteng government.
“The ANCYL in Johannesburg finds it prudent to provide such brief political history as the attacks on her personhood have nothing to do with her ethical service in the public sphere,” he added.
He further said the attacks were solely meant to diminish all the historic contributions of her progressive work as an “African woman” who was relatively younger.
The ANC Youth League’s wrath was unleashed after reports that Hlophe paid for articles in the form of advertorials in a bit to promote her personal leadership.
It was further reported that these “advertorials” focus on promoting Hlophe, rather than the work of the departments.
However, in their defence of the former MEC, the Youth League said those who were behind her character assassination were used as weapons and furthering the agenda of those who wanted to see the ANC in the opposite echelons of government.
“Cde Mbali Hlophe in her 18 months as an MEC in the sixth administration has distinguished herself in dealing with corrupt elements in the departments that were merged proving again that she can be the best performing in Gauteng.
“Her detractors have now ganged up with the opposition to the ANC using street tactics of confusing the role of administration and executive functions. Cde Mbali Hlophe’s sin is refusing to give in to the bogus NPOs that are used as slush pockets to loot money of the vulnerable whilst claiming to do work.”
Khomongoe said he found it bizarre that Hlophe, who had employed thousands of young people to respond to the socio-economic challenges as directed by the imperatives of building a National Democratic Society, can be a subject of scrutiny in a manner that was inconsistent with her sterling performance.
The Star