Limpopo's kingmaker has finger in every pie

Malema's influence extends to appointment of senior provincial officials and tenders. It has been said that no major deal happens in Limpopo without Julius Malema's consent or knowledge.

At just 28, the ANC Youth League president apparently has significant influence over the awarding of government tenders and the appointment of senior government officials in the province.

Malema led a vicious campaign to oust Sello Moloto, the province's former premier, and this week political players said it was no secret that Malema virtually controlled Limpopo.

Even opposition party leaders said this was no surprise, since Malema is close friends with several MECs, senior politicians and premier Cassel Mathale.

He has known Mathale since 2001, when Malema was national president of the Congress of South African Students. At the time, Mathale, though involved in politics, owned several thriving businesses, which may have inspired Malema's business plans.

But while Malema is a director of four companies, Mathale is listed as a director of more than 20 businesses, ranging from transport and logistics to mining and property.
There are also claims that the two have the final say on who is deployed to municipalities, and the appointment of mayors and municipal managers. The two also apparently make key appointments for state-owned institutions in the province.

Cassel Mathale (pic right)

Mayors and councillors in Limpopo's five municipal districts and 26 local municipalities are said to oblige Malema's every whim. And this is no surprise, as he has often indirectly threatened them about their futures and positions.

At the Peter Mokaba memorial lecture in Vereeniging in September last year, Malema reportedly told the audience that they should "never be scared to iron out problems with your mayors and municipal managers because they are your servants".

"We voted them into power so that they can serve us and not enrich themselves or those close to them," he said.

Yet ANC leaders and opposition members in the province are concerned about the "irregular awarding of tenders".

One senior official in the province, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals, said records of tenders awarded to Malema's companies and scores of other businesses were often not included in the provincial government's computer system.

He said many were unaccounted for owing to lax auditing and due diligence.

This may explain why there are scores of businessmen and women waiting to meet Malema on any given day outside his seventh-floor office in Luthuli House, Johannesburg.

See also - Investigate Limpopo tender irregularities ANCYL leaders, their girlfriends and relatives are exploiting all opportunities and becoming fly-by-night millionaires